Primeval
by Cinderella04
Summary: basic primeval with the additional character Hilarie Eliot. Stephen/oc
1. Chapter 1

A shopping trolley rolls across the screen.

A Gorgonopsid walks out of the trees, growling.

A woman runs across an ASDA car park and hides in a large metal bin.

More growling, we see the woman, Helen Cutter, as the bin she is hiding in is rammed repeatedly by the gorgonopsid.

Inside of ASDA a cleaner is buffing the floor. Helen runs across the car park and bangs on the store window.

Helen: Hey! Let me in!

Cleaner looks at Helen, but can't hear what she's saying and goes back to cleaning. Helen runs off as a bunch of trolleys are thrown at her.

Helen runs across the car park, tries to hide between 2 cars, and is almost squashed as several other cars are tossed about by the gorgonopsid.

Helen runs back into the trees. The gorgonopsid follows, roaring.

* * *

EIGHT YEARS LATER.

A silver 4x4 pick up truck (with a Department of Evolutionary Zoology logo on the door) pulls up outside CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY. Nick Cutter, Stephen Hart and Hilarie Eliot get out.

Nick: I think there's something seriously wrong with her...

Hilarie: I think you're just delusional.

Nick, Stephen and Hilarie are walking along a wooden walkway alongside one of the buildings when they are approached from behind by Connor Temple.

Connor: Professor Cutter?

Nick: Careful there

Connor drops an armful of papers; Nick, Stephen and Hilarie keep on walking.

Connor: Professor! Professor Cutter!

Connor catches up to Nick, Stephen and Hilarie and extends a hand to shake.

Connor: Connor Temple

Nick: Sorry, never heard of it. I think you want archaeology, If you go around up there to your right and keep on walking, it's on your left

Nick and Stephen both point to the right. Connor looks confused.

Hilarie: That's his name geniuses

Connor: Um, yeah. I'm one of your students

Nick stops and turns to face Connor

Nick: Really

Connor: Uh-huh

Nick: Well why...why don't i recognise you?

Connor: Well, you've never actually turned up for the seminars

Nick nods and he, Stephen and Hilarie start walking again.

Nick: Uh-huh

Connor hesitates for a second before following them.

Connor: Professor!

* * *

Nicks Office. A desk is covered with various skulls, a leather bound journal, a couple of gems and 2 pictures of Helen Cutter.

The door opens; Nick, Hilarie, Stephen and Connor come in and go down a set of stairs.

Nick: Don't touch anything. This is my labortory technician, Stephen Hart

Stephen: Hi

Connor: Hi

Nick: and my niece Hilarie Eliot

Hilarie: Hello

Connor: Hi

Nick walks around to stand behind his desk. Connor stands in front of the desk and Stephen walks over to a side table. Hilarie sits on Stephen's table. Nick picks up a pile of paper in a pink folder and throws it in the bin. Connor points to the papers.

Connor: Oh, actually, that's my dissertation

Nick straightens up and gives Connor a questioning look before retrieving the dissertation

Connor: Yeah. You see i argues that all life on Earth derived from organisms carried here by alien spacecraft. It's pretty sexy stuff.

Hilarie: I agree, very sexy

Nick purses his lips and tosses the dissertation back in the trash.

Connor: It's a work in progress, really.

Nick picks up a piece of stone, which contains a fossilised fish skeleton.

Nick: Tell me what this is

Connor: A fish?

Nick: Obviously. It's a sarcopterygian. There's no trace of them in the fossil record for 70 million years, and then suddenly one of them just pops up in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Totally inexplicable in modern evolutionary terms. See, Darwin provides most of the answers, it's the pieces that don't fit that interest me

Connor: See, that's why i was wondering if you'd seen this

Connor holds up a newspaper with the headline 'Monster Hoax or Truly Beastly'.

Nick moves around his desk passing the fossil fish over to Hilarie before moving to take the paper from Connor. Hilarie passes the fossil to Stephen after doing fish impersinations.

Connor: Some sort of gigantic, undiscovered predator.

Nick unfolds the newspaper and we see a blurry picture (CCTV). Nick looks at Connor with disbelief before handing the paper to Stephen.

Connor: Oh, no, no, no, no, no. This...this is the real thing.

Nick: Connor, you should get out more. Go to a bar. Meet a nice girl. Life will seem a lot less confusing.

Connor: I've already got a girlfriend. Sort of.

Nick moves back behind his desk and takes his jacket off.

Connor: That's not really the point. There's an eyewitness, claimed to have seen it

Nick: People claim to have seen the Loch Ness monster, that doesn't mean it's there

Connor: 'Not now, obviously, because it died years ago

Hilarie and Stephen share disbelieving looks

Connor: The government, they took the body away and covered up the whole thing.

Nick: This is just a hoax. Forget it.

Connor: Your wife wouldn't have ignored it

There is a moment of silence as Nick freezes. Stephen squeezes Hilaries hand.

Nick: My wife was a serious scientist. She wasn't a gullible monster hunter.

Connor looks remorseful

Connor: Sorry

Nick: It's ok

Connor: I just thought you might like to check it out, that's all

Connor puts the newspaper back in his bag and starts to move towards the door.

Connor: It's not as though the Forest of Dean is far away enough

Hilarie: The Forest of Dean?

Stephen suddenly straightens from where he has been looking at something with a microscope and turns to Nick. Slowly Nick turns to Stephen.

Stephen: If we leave now we could be there by lunch.

Hilarie: Great, a road trip.

* * *

Forest of Dean.

Nick, Stephen, Hilarie and Connor walk up to a damaged truck with the eyewitness, a security guard in a reflective jacket.

Guard: I'd just finished my rounds when i caught a glimpse of it on the monitor

The body of a red truck has been slashed open, leaving great gashes in its steps back as she comes across a dead chicken.

Connor: Can you imagine how much forve it took to rip this thing open? Look at the size of the marks. If you want my opinion, i think it's...

Stephen picks up the dead chicken, and Nick gives Connor an amused look. Hilarie is looking at the chicken in disgust.

Connor: You don't, do you?

Stephen: Well, if i found these gouges in the wild, i'd be certain we were looking for a large predator.

Nick: But we're in the Forest of Dean.

Guard: It was huge and it was so fast. It was gone across the yard in a second.

Hilarie approaches the truck and looks at a red, liquid substance splashed across its side.

Hilarie: There's blood

Nick moves closer to the actual forest. Stephen follows him.

Nick: Stephen. Come and give me a logical explanation for this.

Stephen: It's a hoax, obviously.

Stephen catches up to Nick and stops as he too see the twisted metal fence at the edge of the trees. Hilarie stares at the gate too, as she came to a stop by Stephen. Connor walks up behind them.

Stephen: Just a difficult one to pull off

Hilarie: (to Stephen) You do know you're wrong, right?

Connor: Can i say something?

Nick moves closer to the fence, leaving Connor, Stephen and Hilarie behind.

Connor: Is he alright?

Stephen: Helen Cutter came to this area eight years ago to investigate a creature sighting. She disappeared in the forest. The body was never found. Just a rucksack. No blood, no clues, nothing. She just vanished.

* * *

Outside. Eddington Hotel. Stephen, Connor and Hilarie are at the 4x4. Connor has his laptop open and is showing Stephen is database. Hilarie is thinking.

Connor: This database contains constantly updated information on all non-extinct vertebrate. I've been building it every spare second since i was 14.

Stephen: It's impressive

Connor: It's pretty cool, huh

Stephen: And slightly sad

Connor: You know we're not talking about a wild cat, don't you?

Nick and Claudia arrive before Stephen can respond.

Nick: This is Claudia Brown from the Home Office. She'll be coming with us.

Connor: I knew it. It's a cover-up.

Claudia: What's he talking about?

Nick: Connor never met a conspiracy theory he didn't like.

(Nick, Claudia and Connor get in the car)

Stephen: Hil, you ok?

Hilarie: Just being here, you know?

Stephen: Yeah. Come on

(Hilarie and Stephen get in the car)

* * *

Forest of Dean. Stephen. Claudia, Hilarie, Nick and Connor are travelling through the forest.

Claudia: If there really were some creature around here, wouldn't the jouranlists have found it by now?

Nick: They wouldn't know what they were looking for

Claudia: But you do?

Nick: Hmm. I've seen Stephen track wounded animals through the rainforest for up to 10 days at a time

Connor: Not to mention wrestle an anaconda and save a whale

Connor moves forwards so he is walking with Stephen. Hilarie is slightly in front. Claudia and Nick are behind them.

Nick: Maybe there is something here, and maybe there isn't. Frankly, i doubt it.

Hilarie came to a stop as she looked up slightly.

Hilarie: Stephen!

Stephen came and saw what Hilarie was looking at.

Stephen: Cutter!

Hilarie has found a dead cow in a tree

Nick: Okay, now i'm getting interested.

Connor: Professor, the compass is going haywire.

Connor passes the compass to Nick. The compass needle is spinning around madly.

Hilarie: Why is there always a carcus?

(Stephen laughed at her, bringing her into a one armed hug)

* * *

Forest of Dean. Abby Maitland. A young keeper at Wellington Zoo had managed to reclaim a dinosaur named Rex, it had gotton dark and she had gotton lost in the forest.

Abby: Okay, Rex. Which way now?

She stops in a clearing, and hears a growl behind her. She turns around to see a Scutosaurus. She backs up as it turns towards her and roars. Rex jumps out of her arms again as the scutosaurus repeats itself.

Abby: Rex!

Nick and the others come up behind her.

Nick: Don't move.

Abby: Is it real?

Nick: Some kind of experiment, maybe. Hybrid, throwback. Who are you?

Abby: Abby Maitland. I'm a keeper at Wellington Zoo.

Nick approaches the scutosaurus, shining his torch at it.

Nick: It's a reptile. Five or six tonnes at least. Large supratemporal bosses. Huge oesteoderms on it's back.

Stephen and Connor also start to approach the scutosaurus as well. Hilarie and Claudia stayed where they were.

Hilarie: It must be some kind of anapsid.

Abby: A tortoise?

The scutosaurus roars, Nick backs up, as do Stephen, Hilarie, Connor and Claudia.

Abby: Stay in his field of vision, you're making him nervous.

Connor: I was right. It was a dinosaur in that warehouse

Connor takes a picture of the scutosaurus with his camera phone. Claudia snatches it off him.

Claudia: Whatever is is, it's classified until i figure out what the hell to do about it.

Rex comes out from where he was hiding. Nick shines his torch on him as he and Stephen crouch down to get a better look.

Stephen: Bloody hell, there's two of them.

Hilarie: Aww, he's cute

Nick: Where did that come from?

* * *

Forest of Dean. Stephen, Connor and Hilarie are in the forest, watching the scutosaurus. Stephen is sitting against a tree as is Hilarie, she is leaning her head against him. Connor is standing next to him, staring at the scutosaurus.

Connor: You know this is going to win me the Nobel Prize

Stephen: You don't know what we're dealing with yet

Connor: Come on. It looks like a dinosaur. It behaves like a dinosaur. It's a dinosaur. It's the missing link to the ancient past. And i discovered it.

Hilarie: Don't get your hopes up.

Nick: Stephen!

Nick and the others come running towards them, waving their torches. The scutosaurus gets scared and starts to walk away. Connor, Hilarie and Stephen scramble out of its way.

Hilarie: Whoa, where's it going?

Nick: Let him go! It's scared. Let's see where it thinks it's safe.

They follow the scutosaurus until it goes through the anomaly. They slow down and stare at the anomoly.

Claudia: Where's it gone?

Nick: Home.

* * *

Forest of Dean. The next morning.

The area around the anomoly has been secured by Claudia's backup. Nick, Hilarie and Connor are watching the anomoly, it's obvious they haven't been home. More soldiers arrive.

Random soldier: Come on lads. Look lively.

Scientific equipment is taken out of jeeps, Abby is sitting on a pile of it, she hasn't been home either. Connor's pen starts being pulled towards the anomoly.

Connor: My pen

As Nick, Claudia and Hilarie watch, Connor lets go of the pen, and it flies into the anomoly.

Connor: That explains the compass going crazy

Nick: What could cause a magnetic field so powerful?

Connor: Maybe it's an alien spaceship

Hilarie: Were you dropped on the head as a baby?

Connor: Ha, funny.

More soldiers unloading jeeps under the supervision of Captain Ryan. Stephen brings Abby a hot drink.

Stephen: How are you feeling?

Abby: Confused, frightened. Exhilarated.

Stephen: Snap

Rex gets taken away in a cage

Abby: You don't think they'll hurt him?

Stephen: Of course not.

Stephen watches as Hilarie fidgets. She hates the Forest of Dean.

Stephen: I'll be back.

Stephen walks up to Hilarie. Hilarie nervously smiles at him.

Hilarie: Hey

Stephen: You ok?

Hilarie: Sure. Why wouldn't i be?

Stephen: Maybe because you don't like this place. Hil, this is the first time in eight years you have set foot in the forest.

Hilarie: I know that. Don't you think i know that?!!

Stephen hugs Hilarie, kissing her on the head.

Hilarie: I'm sorry. It's just that my aunt disappeared here and i've never felt comfortable with the place

Stephen: You don't need to apologise.

Hilarie backs up a tiny bit so she could look at him.

Hilarie: Thanks

Stephen: No problem

Stephen kisses Hilarie.

Nick: Everything we've seen about the animals so far is consistent with vertebrates that last appeared in the fossil record hundreds of million of years ago.

Claudia: You mean they're like creatures from the past?

Nick: No, i mean they are creatures from the past

Connor lets something else fly through the anomoly with a giggle.

Connor: Brilliant. Just brilliant. Oh, that was my front door key.

Connor grimaces

Claudia: Cutter, we have to go now

Nick: You've got your own experts.

Claudia: They didn't see what we saw, and they don't know what you know.

Claudia walks off and Stephen approaches Nick

Stephen: You're thinking about Helen, aren't you?

Nick: It explains everything

Stephen: Except why she didn't come back

* * *

Home Office. Nick, Hilarie and Abby are in an office, doing some paper work. Claudia is standing outside the office, watching them through the glass walls. Claudia is approached by James Lester.

Claudia: Claudia Brown, Home Office.

Lester: Yes, i've seen your file. James Lester, i'll be in charge of co-ordinating our response. You shouldn't have brought them here. They have no security clearance. I don't like civilians in these situations.

Claudia: How many situations like this have you had?

Lester: How do we know they're not responsible for all this in some way?

Claudia: That's not possible

Lester: You spend your entire carere planning for just about every crisis imaginable, up to and including alien invasion, then this happens. So much for thinking outside the bloody box.

* * *

Home Office. Lester, Nick, Hilarie, Claudia and Abby are walking through the Home Office building into a room where they can view the tests being carried out on Rex.

Lester: This phenomenon Professor, Claudia tells me you have an explanation.

Nick: A theory. The boy's experience proves that there's a concrete landscape on the other side of the anomoly. And i think it's the Earth millions of years ago

Lester: And this, anomoly, as you call it, is a door between time zones in the world's history?

Nick: Hmm

Lester: Suppose this remarkable theory is correct, what are the immediate risks?

Hilarie: Famine, war, pestilence. The end of the world as we know it. You know, the usual stuff.

Lester: I think i could do without the facetiousness.

Nick: Well i could do without standing in some anaemic office in Whitehall, talking to a civil service pen pusher, when i should be exploring the most significant phenomenon in the history of science.

Lester: Technically, i'm not actually a civil servant. More a troubleshooter without a portfolio in the PM's office.

Nick: You mean you're a Government hatchet man.

Lester: Colourful, but surprisingly accurate

Nick: And there's something else you should know. I intend to find out what happened to my wife, whatever the risks, so i'm going through the anomoly, and if you want to stop me, you're going to have to shoot me.

Lester: I hope it won't come to that.

* * *

Forest of Dean. Stephen and Connor are looking for the creature. Connor is having sinus issues.

Connor: So, what do you think of Abby?

Stephen: She's okay. Why?

Connor: I was picking up some heat between us. You get an instinct for these kinds of things.

Stephen: I thought you already had a girlfriend.

Connor: She;s more of a pen pal really. She, um...She lives in the Gambia.

Stephen: That's practical for a night out

Connor: Yeah. So do you think Abby likes me.

Stephen turns and steps in front of Connor, forcing him to stop.

Stephen: Why don't you ask her yourself

Connor: All right. I might.

Stephen starts walking again, Connor goes into a little daydream.

Connor: It's not everyday you meet a potential girlfriend. And find a dinosaur.

Connor realises that he has lost sight of Stephen for a second.

Connor: Stephen? Stephen!

* * *

Home Office. Rex is being examined by a bunch of people in white suits. Nick, Abby, Hilarie, Claudia and Lester are watching through a window.

Abby: You really shouldn't handle a lizard like that.

Lester: Let the experts do their job

Abby: They don't know what they're doing.

A scientist is poking at Rex with a swab, trying to get a saliva sample, and failing, and getting Rex annoyed.

Hilarie: Uh, oh. He's angry. You shouldn't mess with an angry lizard.

Lester: I'm terrified

Abby: Do they even know he can fly?

Lester: Fly?

Rex starts flying around the lab

Lab guy: Watch the door!

Another lab person accidently opens the door and Rex flies out. Nick is amused. Hilarie, Abby and Claudia go to try and catch Rex.

Abby: Rex!

Lester: He can fly

Nick: Hmm. Pretty well.

Rex flies down to the bottom floor, and gets in an elevator going up, just as Hilarie, Abby and Claudia arrive on the bottom floor.

Claudia: its going up

Hilarie: And this is why i prefer dogs

Rex gets out of the elevator, scaring the people who are waiting for it. Lester is on the phone as Rex flies through the room he is in.

Lester: Well, we'll really have to take a view on that...Christ, look out!

Rex flies through several offices, followed by Claudia, Abby and Hilarie.

Man: Where did that come from?

Hilarie: Private zoo.

Claudia, Abby and Hilarie spot Rex on a windowsill, about to leave the building. Abby tries to coax him down with words and treats. Nick and Lester join them.

Abby: Rex. Don't do it Rex. It's not your world out there anymore. Try some of this [a treat], you'll love it. I promise. Rex, come back! That's it, oh, hello. Good decision Rex.

Rex has of course, landed in Abby's arms.

Nick [to Lester]: Oh, those risks you were talking about. There's one i didn't tell you about running down your back.

Lester sees what Rex has done to his jacket, sighs and leaves.

Nick: It's so perfect,

* * *

Forest of and Connor, still walking through the forest looking for the creature. Stephen finds a footprint in the mud, and whistles Connor over.

Stephen: What's this?

Connor: I think the scientific term is 'really bad news'

* * *

Home Office. Lester, Nick, Hilarie and Claudia are in Lester's office.

Lester: The lizard's DNA confirms your theory. The creature's a living fossil. Under the circumstances, i'm going to allow both your exploratory missions into the anomoly.

Nick: I'm taking the lizard back. Creatures that don't belong here should be returned to their natural habitat.

Lester passes over a piece of paper to both Hilarie and Nick.

Lester: It's a disclaimer. We don't want any nasty lawsuits if you don't come back

* * *

Forest of Dean. Connor is sitting on a log, his laptop on his knee. Stephen is crouched next to the footprint.

Connor: Okay. My best guess? The creature we found was some kind of scutosaurus, late Permian era. That footprint? Definately not the same animal. If we are talking late Permian, then this little charmer is the prime suspect.

Stephen stands up and goes to crouch next to Connor, who shows hiim the page of his database that he has brought up.

Connor: It's a gorgonopsid. It's a compact killing machine, and it's got incredible power. Stephen, if it is still out there, then you have to find it. Fast.

Stephen: What about you?

Connor: You, mighty hunter. Me, i'm more logistics and, you know, backup.

Connor pats Stephen on the goes off by himself, and tracks the gorgonopsid, following a trail of broken logs.

* * *

Forest of Dean. Everyone but Stephen and Lester are at the anomoly site. It is raining, and several tents have been set up. Hilarie is on the phone, and Nick is being checked over by a medical person.

Nick: Will you call Stephen again?

Hilarie: He's not bloody answering. The one time he's not answering!

Claudia: It's 18.55. I want you both back no later than 20:00 hours. If the first contact works out, we'll go from there.

The group are approached by Captain Ryan, who is wearing full gear and is carrying a big gun.

Nick: What's he doing here?

Claudia: This is Captain Ryan. He's a Gulf war veteran with extensive desert experience. We don't know how dangerous it will be on the other side of the anomaly. No arguments, Cutter. He goes as well.

Nick and Ryan shake hands as Abby approached Rex. She hands him over to Hilarie as Claudia and Ryan move away.

Abby: Please take care of him. Look after yourselves too.

Hilarie: Yeah, we'll be fine.

Claudia [to Ryan]: Whatever happens, bring them back

Ryan moves away from Claudia and he, Nick and Hilarie walk towards the anomaly. Ryan accets a canvas bag from someone. Nick glances back, and then the three of them step through the anomaly. They step through into the prehistoric landscape. Boiling hot. Full of black volcanic rock, few trees and bits of scrub bush.

On the other side of the anomaly, Claudia, Abby and Connor are watching the anomaly. Connor gets a note pad out of his pocket, dropping his pen. It falls to the floor rather than being attracted to the anomaly.

Connor: My pen. The magnetic field didn't take it. The anomaly is getting weaker.

* * *

Through the anomaly. Hilarie has released Rex. Ryan has dumped most of his gear and is sorting through it whilst Nick and Hilarie stares around in amazement.

Nick: Give me an hour. One hour on my own.

Ryan doesn't look sure.

Nick: I've got a radio.

Nick walks off. Ryan doesn't look pleased, but lets him go. Hilarie smiles at Ryan.

Hilarie: Bye.

Ryan isn't pleased about this either, but lets her go too. Hilarie walks around looking at the landscape, she cou;dn't believe her eyes. She sits down on a cliff to look over a pretty impressive view. Rex flies past, along with others of his species. Hilarie smiles up at him.

Hilarie: Helen! Aunt Helen!

Ryan: Eliot!

Hilarie turns to see Ryan shouting for Nick, walks towards Ryan, Nick joins them. Ryan shows them what he has found. There is a ruined campsite there.

Hilarie: My god.

Nick crouches down by a metal tin and opens it. Inside are food and medical supplies. Hilarie picks up a Yorkie bar and opens it, to eat it.

Nick: People. Somebody's been here before us.

Hilarie: It's not off either.

Ryan: Well whoever it was they didn't get far. Over here.

Ryan takes Nick and Hilarie to the other side of the camp and shows him a skeleton; Nick crouches down by it. Ryan spots something and unearths a camera, in its case, from the ground. The leather camera case has the initials HC on it.

Nick: It's 'HC'. It's 'Helen Cutter'.

Nick, Ryan and Hilarie stand. Nick looks shocked whilst Hilarie looks mortified.

Hilarie: It's not her is it?

Nick crouches down again and appears to count the skeletons ribs.

Nick: No, it's a man.

Ryan: How did he die?

Nick: I don't know, uh...

Ryan checks his watch.

Ryan: It's time to go.

Nick: Yeah, i can't help that. I've got to find my wife.

Hilarie: We have to go, Nick.

Nick: I'm staying

Ryan: Sorry Professor.

Ryan takes a pistol out of a side holster and hits Nick over the head with it, knocking him looks on with widdened eyes

Hilarie: Was that called for?

Ryan: Whatever means necessary.

Ryan carries Nick back to the anomaly over his shoulder. Hilarie follows holding the camera. As they near the anomaly, Nick regains consciousness. Ryan helps him the rest of the way. They stop when they get there and catch their breath. Nick takes a swing at Ryan, misses and Ryan punches him in return, knocking him over. Hilarie just watches shocked at Nicks behaviour.

Ryan: Don't do that again. The anomaly! It's disappearing!

Ryan and Hilarie run towards the anomaly but Nick stays where he is. Both Hilarie and Ryan stop when they notice.

Ryan: Quick! Do you want to be trapped here forever?

Nick: I'm staying here to look for my wide.

Hilarie: Nick get your ass back through that anomaly! I want to look for her too, but being stuck here is not the way!

Ryan: I'm not leaving you behind.

Nick: Well what do you want to do? Shoot me?

Ryan goes to kneel next to where Nick is kneeling. Hilarie stands before him with her hands on her hips. Waiting impatientaly.

Ryan: All right. You stay, i stay.

Hilarie: You both are acting really childish.

Nick looks between the anomaly and Ryan.

Nick: Oh God. All right.

Hilarie who is still holding Helen's camera runs through the anomaly, Ryan and Nick close emerge on the other side and hit the ground. It has gone dark. Claudia, Connor and Abby run towards them to help them up. Everyone is talking over the top of each other.

Connor: Cutter?

Abby: Look!

Connor: Hilarie.

Abby: They're back.

Claudia: You okay?

Abby: You okay?

Claudia: Can i have a medic?

Abby hears a chirruping noise. Rex runs out from the trees. Hilarie moves away getting her phone.

Claudia: Well done Ryan. [To Nick] What did you see?

Abby moves away from the main group towards Rex, who no one else has noticed.

Ryan: There's a camp. Looks like a military camp. You're not going to believe it.

The anomaly disappears.

Connor: What was it like?

There are laughs of relief. Abby goes and picks up Rex. The gorgonopsid watches from the trees growling. Hilarie returns slamming her phone shut with annoyance.

Hilarie: Still not answering.

Ryan: God, you've got to see it.

Claudia: Well done Ryan

A roar sounds. Everyone starts running, military personnel towards the sound, civilians away from it, as the gorgonopsid races out of the trees towards them.

Abby: Oh my god! Run!

Claudia: Run!

There is gunfire. The soldiers have really bad aim.

Soldier: Moving target! Hold your fire!

Claudia: Ryan! Clear the area!

Connor trips, but scrambles back on his feet. Everyone is running now, Connor and Abby in one direction, Hilarie in another, Nick and Claudia in another. A soldier screams as the gorgonopsid tosses him. Rex is hidden under the scarf that Abby was using to pick him up when the gorgonopsid arrived. The gorgonopsid knocks over one of the floodlights. Claudia trips over and Nick goes back to help her.

Claudia: Cutter!

Nick: Claudia. Quick.

Nick pulls Claudia to her feet as the gorgonopsid turns towards them and starts to advance. Headlights and a car horn distract the gorgonopsid as Stephen arrives in the 4x4. He meets the gorgonopsid in a head on collision. The gorgonopsid goes down and the front of the 4x4 is severely dented, but Stephen gets out unharmed. Stephen walks towards Nick and Claudia, who are looking at him in shock. Hilarie notices the gorgonopsid's eyes open and it roars.

Hilarie: Stephen! Catch!

Hilarie tosses a discarded machine gun to Stephen, who uses it to kill the gorgonopsid. Stephen chucks the gun, just in time to catch Hilarie who hugged him. She kissed him also for a while thanking god that Stephen was alright.

Hilarie: Pick up your damn phone! You had me worried.

Stephen chuckled pecking Hilarie on the lips.

* * *

Home office. Next day. Lester, Claudia, Nick and Hilarie are in an office in the Home Office. There is a screen showing several pictures of Helen Cutter in the prehistoric landscape.

Lester: We developed the film in the camera you brought back.

Nick: It's her. It's Helen.

Lester: I'm sorry for your personal loss, Professor and Miss Eliot. This camp that you discovered. There were no clues as to who made it, or what it was for? The thought that someone was there before us is far from reassuring. And i used to think the EU Common Agricultural Policy was far-fetched. Still, at least the immediate crisis is over.

Nick moves over towards the window, gesturing. Hilarie watches in amusement.

Nick: Some, force, out there, ripped the boundaries of space and time to shreds. Maybe it's happened before, in which case, every single thing we thought we knew about the Universe is wrong. Or, this it the first time. In which case, what changed? What happens next? Believe me, it's very, very far from over.

Nick brushes past Lester and Claudia and leaves the office. Hilarie gets up, saluting them before leaving too, with a smirk on her face. Abby, Connor and Stephen are waiting for them outside the office. They fall into step with them.

* * *

Stephen and Hilarie's apartment. Hilarie is on the couch watching Bones, with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. Stephen walks over grimacing at what Hilarie is watching.

Stephen: You've seen this episode.

Stephen attempts to take the remote control off her, but she just slaps his hand away.

Hilarie: So? Besides i like David Boreanas.

Stephen: So? Hand me the remote, drool over him when your boyfriend isn't here.

Hilarie: Where's the fun in that then? and no! I got it first!

Hilarie sticks her tongue out at him. Stephen takes her mug out of her hands and places it on the table besides the couch. He starts tickling her, which he knows is her weakness, and finally manages to obtain the remotes. Hilarie pouts. Stephen smirks.

Hilarie: That's no fair! And now i'm stuck with watching some sports

Stephen changes the channel to The Wire. Hilarie smiles.

Hilarie: Oh! I like this.

Hilarie leans onto Stephen and they watch the show.


	2. Chapter 2

A tube train, busy but not packed, pretty much everyone has a seat, but it looks hot. People are fanning themselves. The train stops.

Driver: London Underground apologises for the delay to the journey due to signalling problems at Parsons Green.

A girl gets up and opens the window on the emergency exit to try to cool down. She is standing there, reading her book, when something taps her on the neck. She turns and sees a giant spider. She slams the window shut, slicing off one of the spider's legs. She screams.

A worker is going along, spraying the tracks and the sides of the tunnel, muttering to himself. He hears a strange noise and turns, but there is nothing there. He continues, the noise sounds again, and once more, there is nothing there. A rat crawls out of a side tunnel as the worker carries on. As he moves away, a GIANT SPIDER attacks the rat.

River. Connor and Abby are walking by a river. They are both carrying rucksacks.

Abby: Maybe this wasn't such a great idea.

Connor: You can hold my hand if you're frightened.

Abby: And how is that going to make me feel better? I just don't think we should be doing this on our own.

Connor: Stop worrying. If it's another gorgonopsid, just run like hell.

Abby: Shut up Connor.

Connor: I was just saying…

A bird calls, making them both jump.

Underground Tunnels. The worker from before has taken a break and is eating a packed lunch. He drops his apple and jumps down from where he was sitting to pick it up. As he does so, a large spider rears up and runs away, unnoticed. The worker sits back down and takes a bite out of his apple.

Central Metropolitan University. Nick takes a bite of an apple. He is still at his desk, going through some more papers, but Stephen nor Hilarie is with him. There is a knock on his door and Claudia enters.

Claudia: You didn't reply to any of my messages, so I came in person.

Nick: You know, I've been going through some of Helen's papers. Please.

Nick moves some papers off a chair and Claudia sits down. Nick sits at the other side of his desk.

Nick: It was my fault she disappeared.

Claudia: Why?

Nick: I was supposed to go with her on that last field trip, but we had a row. Another row. She'd become obsessed with theories that I found, well, ridiculous.

Claudia: You mean she was onto the anomaly?

Nick: No, not as such, but she'd become convinced that there was no conventional scientific answers to certain evolutionary puzzles. And, well, obviously she was right.

Claudia: Nobody could have guessed that.

Nick: Yes, but she did.

Claudia: You're not to blame for her death you know.

Nick: What makes you so sure she's dead?

Claudia: She was lost 200 million years ago in the past. What else could she be?

River. Abby walks from where bunch of canoes are stored to where Connor is sitting at the base of a tree. She sits next to him.

Abby: The tent's only big enough for one. You should have brought your own.

Connor: I like sleeping out.

Abby: Don't really look the type.

Connor: I did the Duke of Edinburgh award, you know. For a morning. Until I sprained my ankle.

Abby and Connor both snigger a bit.

Abby: I'm freezing.

Connor: We should huddle together for warmth.

Abby gives Connor an incredulous look.

Connor: Or not.

Abby: Can I ask you a personal question?

Connor: Go ahead. Anything.

Abby: Is Stephen seeing anybody?

Connor: Stephen? He's going out with Hilarie.

Abby: Has he said anything about me?

Connor: Uh, no. Not that I can remember, no. I think he's pretty happy with Hilarie.

Abby gets up and goes to the tent.

Connor: I'll keep first watch then, shall I?

Abby zips up the tent, Connor settles back against the tree.

Central Metrolpolitan University. Nick and Claudia are still in his office, talking at Nick's desk.

Nick: So, tell me the plan.

Claudia: What plan? What else can we do?

Nick: Well, we could start off by telling everyone the truth.

Claudia: Uh, no.

Nick: Why?

Claudia: Right now, this is just a rumour mill for Internet conspiracy freaks and we can contain that. The alternatives are panic, hysteria and potential lawlessness. Simply unviable.

Nick: A cover up. Connor will be thrilled.

Claudia: It's not a cover up. Well, okay, it is. But we have to do it.

Stephen enters the office.

Stephen: Text from Abby. Connor thinks he's onto another anomaly. They've gone to investigate.

Nick: Where are they?

Stephen: New Forest. She's not exactly sure where.

Nick: Where's Hilarie?

Stephen: She's at the library. Pick her up on the way.

River. Connor is pacing by the river as the Sun sets. Music is playing on a radio. Abby is in the tent. It goes dark. Connor has fallen asleep against a tree. His phone is ringing on its vibrate setting, but doesn't wake him. There is a rustling in the bushes and a growling noise. Abby wakes up and gets out of the tent, waving a torch around. She goes over to Connor and wakes him.

Abby: Connor, wake up!

Connor: What?

They see something moving around in the trees.

Connor: Oh my god. Quick.

They try to get away but their exit is cut off, they retreat back the tent, and Connor places himself in front of Abby. There is an electronic whirring noise and the creature collapses. Connor and Abby approach it carefully. It appears to be an electronic dinosaur torso on a trolley.

Tom: Careful, it bites!

Tom and Duncan are in the trees, laughing at the prank.

Connor: You idiots!

Police sirens approach and Tom waves as he and Duncan run off. Connor sighs in disbelief.

Underground Tunnels. The worker is still in the tunnels; he appears to be looking for any damage. He spots a hole in the wall and examines it. As he turns moves away he sees a giant spider and screams as it jumps at him.

By the River. Daylight. Nick is talking to a police officer whilst Stephen and Hilarie look at the dinosaur model. Abby and Connor are standing by the river looking apprehensive.

Police officer: Take care and make sure it doesn't happen again.

Nick approaches the others as the police officer rejoins his colleague.

Connor: Look, I know what you're going to say.

Abby: We're sorry.

Nick: The police aren't going to prosecute you for trespassing. Supposing it had been a predator. What were you going to do? Tame it? You knew exactly what was at stake but you just couldn't keep your mouth shut.

Connor: It's just so big. I had to tell somebody. I'm sorry. I am. I blew it.

Nick: Go back to college. Get on with your work. I'll find you another supervisor.

Abby: I'm just as much to blame as he is.

Nick: Just as stupid, maybe. But you didn't shout your mouth off and you've still got skills I can use. You stay.

Nick, Hilarie and Stephen leave. Connor turns away, looking like he's about to cry.

Hospital. A nurse is checking the underground worker that was attacked earlier. He is pale and shaking and appears to be having breathing difficulties. DR LEWIS is talking to Nick, Hilarie and Claudia.

Lewis: This kind of thing doesn't normally interest the government.

Claudia: We like to keep an eye on violent crime, Dr Lewis. Especially when there's unusual circumstances.

Lewis: Well, he was found early this morning in the Underground. He'd been spraying the tunnels for vermin. Judging from the size of the wound, he'd been attacked with a knife or an axe, but it makes no sense.

Hilarie: And why is that?

Lewis: It's not the wound that's killing him, it's poison.

Claudia: Are you suggesting that someone took an axe to him, and then injected poison into the wound?

Lewis: Venom, to be precise.

Claudia: As in snakes and insects?

Lewis: We're running every test we can think of, but the truth is, we just don't know what we're dealing with.

Claudia: Did he say anything before he lost consciousness?

Lewis: He was babbling about monsters.

Hilarie has walked over to the man and is looking at the wound.

Hilarie: It looks like a single puncture mark, but it's not a knife and it's not an axe. It's more like a bite.

Lewis: From what?

Hilarie: Good question. That's a very good question.

* * *

Home office. Hilarie is talking to Lester as they and Claudia walk through the building.

Lester: I can't close the underground on a wild hunch.

Hilarie: Something injected a fatal dose of venom into his bloodstream.

Lester: There could be a perfectly rational explanation.

Hilarie: Oh, now that I'd love to hear.

Lester: And how do you suggest I explain this to the Mayor. 'Excuse me sir, would you mind terribly throwing the whole bloody underground into chaos because with think there may be a fare-dodging creepy-crawly on the loose somewhere'?

The three of them reach Lester's office.

Claudia: We're not talking about shutting down the whole system, just the area where the attack took place. There's a whole network of disused tunnels down there.

Lester sighs and moves around his desk and sits down.

Lester: Yes, very well.

Outside the Station. Claudia arrives at the station with CAPTAIN TOM RYAN and a load of soldiers. The soldiers rush around making preparations. Getting guns out of cars, setting up perimeters etc.

Solider 1: Get them out. Right, follow me.

Soldier 2: Come on, come on, come on!

Station intercom: All passengers please vacate the station.

The passengers leave as the soldiers enter the station. The Nick, Stephen, Hilarie and Abby arrive.

Underground Tunnels. Ryan and his men enter the tunnels.

Ryan: Vision on lads.

Outside the Station. Nick is with Claudia.

Nick: We should be down there with them.

Claudia: Special Forces go in first. You didn't think Lester was going to let you have it all your own way?

Underground Tunnels. Ryan and his men are making last minute preparations – checking weapons, putting on night vision goggles etc.

Outside the station.

Nick: They don't even know what they're looking for.

Stephen: Well, there can't be that many different types of venomous predator under the Aldwych.

Claudia: You should see the last tube home on a Friday night.

Claudia walks away.

Hilarie: Ha, "funny".

Underground Tunnels. Ryan and his men enter the tunnels. They find a spot where a door has been covered loosely by some corrugated metal.

Ryan: Here, clear it.

One of the soldiers moves the metal, exposing the entrance.

Ryan: Ready, go.

The soldiers enter a short tunnel and approach the door at the other end.

Soldier (over the radio): Last one in.

Ryan: Clear so far. Keep it really tight lads.

We see some shots with natural light, and some as though we are looking through night vision goggles, making everything green.

The first soldiers reach the door and open it, entering some sort of large storeroom.

Soldier (over the radio): Moving in.

The soldiers enter, when Ryan looks up, he sees lots of glowing eyes.

Ryan: Push forward, cover the exit.

They pause near the centre of the room and look around. A spider comes around the corner and scuttles towards them. The soldiers train their weapons on it.

Solider 1: Pull tight!

Ryan: Keep it tight.

The spider runs off and the soldiers regroup, forming a circle that covers everyone's back.

Ryan: Close in!

Ryan looks up, and removes his night vision goggles (it's not really dark enough to need them) and sees loads of giant spiders on the ceiling. Some of his men follow his line of sight. Some of the spiders start to drop.

Ryan: Above! Above!

A spider lands on one of the soldiers.

Soldier: Get off!

Ryan knocks the spider away. He and his men start defending themselves as more spiders drop on them.

Soldier 2: What are they?

Soldier 3: They're everywhere!

One of the soldiers takes aim at a spider.

Ryan: Hold your fire!

Too late, the soldier fires and the bullet ricochets around the room.

Outside the Station. Claudia is listening in on a radio. Nick is nearby and joins her as a scream is heard over the radio.

Underground Tunnels. Most of the men are crouched on the floor. The spiders seem to have retreated somewhat.

Ryan: Withdraw.

The soldiers leave through the tunnel, Ryan bringing up the rear.

Outside the Station. A medic is examining the soldier who had a spider dropped on him. The medic shows Hilarie a puncture wound on the soldier's neck. Stephen, Nick, Claudia and Ryan are with her.

Ryan: They were like spiders, but with pincers, not fangs. Some of them over a meter long. Horrible little…

Hilarie: Look, tell me how you feel.

Ryan: Sick. My ears are ringing…

Hilarie: Any blurred vision?

Ryan: No. But there's something else. The gunshots were too bright, like fireworks.

Stephen: That's classic signs of excess oxygen in the atmosphere.

They leave Ryan to prepare his men. Abby joins them.

Nick: A richer, more heavily oxygenated air must be seeping through from another anomaly. We're not talking about the Permian era any longer. This is much, much earlier.

Claudia: How much earlier?

Nick: Maybe the Carboniferous about 300 million years ago. We really need to see exactly what these creatures look like. I need to see this for myself.

Claudia: Okay, go.

Nick: Lets get some gear.

Nick, Hilarie, Abby and Stephen leave to get suited up.

Central Metropolitan University. Connor is sitting by himself on a bench in a garden area at the University.

Outside the Station. Abby and Hilarie are lacing up their boots. Ryan walks past her to where Nick and Stephen are standing.

Stephen: Oh, you wear it well. You look good.

Nick and Stephen laugh as Ryan walks up and offers a gun to Nick. Hilarie spots them and gets up giving them back to Ryan.

Hilarie: Ah, no. No guns!

Nick: She's right, we need torches. The most powerful you can find.

Ryan: Take night vision goggles.

Stephen: Vision isn't the issue.

Claudia approaches them.

Claudia: Well, the pest controller died a few minutes ago. They're running tests on our casualty now.

Abby approaches, adjusting her belt.

Claudia: What's she doing?

Nick: Abby's got more practical experience with animals than the rest of us put together.

Claudia: I don't care if she's Doctor Dolittle. Sorry, it's just too risky.

Abby: I can help. I've just finished a study in insect behaviour.

Hilarie: Wow, interesting.

Nick: Torches.

Claudia, Nick and Ryan walk off.

Stephen: Is that true?

Abby: Kind of. To tell you the truth, spiders aren't really my thing.

Stephen: Yeah, well, technically these are probably scorpions.

Abby: I feel better already.

Hilarie: He always seems to make the situations A LOT better.

Abby and Hilarie chuckle. Actually getting along.

Underground Tunnels. Nick, Stephen, Abby and Hilarie enter the underground tunnels, armed only with torches. They enter the tunnel to the storeroom. A spider is in there, the torches scare it away.

Nick: On the ground. That's what I thought, they're sensitive to the light.

The three of them enter the tunnel, Nick first, Hilarie second (Stephen wanted to be able to see her), Stephen after her, Abby last. There is another spider on the wall above them. They only notice it when it moves as Abby goes past.

Abby: Oh! Does anyone have a really big slipper.

Hilarie: No. But i would really like one.

They enter the room, spiders are scuttling around on the floor.

Nick: I don't like this.

They move further into the room. Stephen gags as he stands on one of the spiders. Abby finds a fence at the side of the room, there is a fairly large hole in it.

Abby: Cutter.

Nick, Hilarie and Stephen follow Abby through the fence. An anomoly is on the other side. They go and stand in front of it.

Nick: What's happening to us?

As they watch, several spiders run back through the anomaly into their own time. Hilarie drops her torch. She turns and picks it up. As she straightens, she sees something moving at the back of the room.

Hilarie: Guys.

Nick, Abby and Stephen turn, and see the same thing she did.

Abby: What is it?

Stephen: I don't know.

Nick: It's not a spider.

They jump back as an arthropleurid bursts out from behind a set of metal bins. Stephen, Hilarie and Abby dive back through the fence, but the Arthropleurid blocks Nick off from that exit. He throws a box at it and it momentarily backs off.

Outside the Station. Claudia has been listening in on the radio.

Claudia: Cutter, what's going on?

Nick (over the radio): There's another creature down here.

* * *

Underground Tunnels.

Nick (continued): But don't worry, we're coming out. Stephen, Stephen can you see it?

Stephen: No!

There is a strange noise, Stephen looks up to see the Arthropleurid crawling across the ceiling above him. Abby quickly leaves the room not before shouting.

Abby: Stephen!

Stephen pushes Hilarie out of harms way and grabs a box, throwing it at the Arthropleurid. The Arthropleurid doesn't back off and now has Stephen and Hilarie backed into a corner. Nick whistles, attracting the Arthropleurid to him.

Nick: Go!

Stephen: Nick!

Nick: Go, go. Get Hilarie out of here!

Stephen: Come on!

Hilarie: No! Nick!

Stephen, Abby and Hilarie make it to the tunnel and close the door. Leaving Nick alone in the room with the Arthropleurid, which turns towards him.

Nick: Damn.

Nick runs to the back of the room where there is another door. He goes through and slams it behind him. He braces himself against the door as the Arthropleurid crashes into the door a couple of times. He is in a series of tunnels. After the banging stops, Nick steps away from the door. A woman's voice is heard. HELEN CUTTER.

Helen (whispering): Nick.

Nick: Hello?

Helen: Nick.

Nick: Who's there?

Nick leaves the door and heads into the tunnels. Following a shadow.

Nick: Helen!

Outside the Station. Claudia is trying to raise Nick on the radio, Abby and Stephen are with her.

Claudia: Cutter? Come in. All I'm getting is interference. Look.

Claudia spreads out a map to show Stephen, Hilarie and Abby.

Claudia: There's no other way out. This tunnel was blocked 30 years ago.

Abby: What? Then why isn't he back here?

Stephen: Look, he's got to be trapped, okay? I'm going back in.

Claudia: No-one goes anywhere until we know what we're dealing with.

Stephen: He could be injured.

Claudia: I don't want to leave him down there anymore than you do, but I'm not losing anyone else in this wild goose chase. We don't even know for sure where he is. Did you see what kind of creature it was?

Stephen: It was some kind of centipede.

Hilarie: But huge!

Claudia: Any more? Like preferred habitat, behavioural patterns, strengths, weaknesses?

Abby: We don't know. No one does!

Stephen: Connor might. He's like a walking encyclopaedia of this stuff. He probably has giant bug fridge magnets.

Claudia: Okay, I'll get him here.

Claudia hands Stephen the map and walks away.

Claudia: Ryan, we need to get Connor…

Stephen: I can't leave him in there.

Hilarie: Stephen. Don't you even dare.

Stephen brings Hilarie into a passionate kiss.

Hilarie: Stephen! No!

Abby: You can't go down there without back up.

Stephen: Watch me.

Abby: Stephen.

Hilarie: Stephen. Get your ass back here!!

Stephen runs off back to the station.

Underground Tunnels. Nick is walking through the tunnels, looking for Helen. He comes to multiple dead ends.

Nick: Hello? Hello?

Stephen arrives at the entrance of the main tunnel.

Stephen: Cutter?

Stephen looks through the boxes on the station platform looking for a weapon. He finds a flamethrower. Stephen enters the tunnels and goes into the storeroom. He uses the flamethrower to scare the giant spiders.

Stephen: Cutter!

He goes through the fence and sees the door at the back of the room that Nick escaped through. As he approaches the door, the Arthropleurid comes up behind him. Stephen spins around and uses the flamethrower to make the Arthropleurid retreat.

Stephen: Cutter!

He walks around the room, but as he goes past the anomaly, the magnetic forces suck the flamethrower through the anomaly, leaving Stephen defenceless. The Arthropleurid advances again.

Stephen: Oh god.

Stephen runs towards the exit, but is cut of by the Arthropleurid, which then attacks him.

* * *

Outside the Station. Hilarie is trying to raise Stephen on her radio. Abby is with her. Neither notice Claudia and Ryan come up behind them.

Hilarie: Stephen. Where are you? Stephen?

Claudia: What's he done?

Hilarie gives Claudia a sorrowful look and Claudia takes the radio from her.

Claudia: Stephen, where the hell are you?

Abby: He was trying to help.

Claudia: Well, he's done a really great job, hasn't he? Stephen, come in. Stephen? That's the problem with heroic gestures. Succeed and you look wonderful. Fail, and all you do is leave everybody else with a bloody mess to clear up. Well done. [To Ryan] Get down there.

Ryan goes and gets his men ready to go back into the tunnels. Connor has just arrived.

Abby: Connor!

Hilarie: Connor!!

She runs down and hugs him, shocking him.

Underground Tunnels. Stephen is lying on the floor, suffering from the effects of the venom. He is shaking and sweating and having breathing difficulties. Helen enters the room and steps through the fence, towards Stephen. He can't tell who she is at first.

Stephen: Over here. Help me. Why don't you say something?

Nick is still travelling the tunnels.

Nick: Helen!

Stephen: Helen?

Nick finds the door that he entered by and goes back into the storeroom. He sees Stephen on the floor and rushes over.

Nick: What happened?

Stephen: Argument with the bug. The bug won.

Nick: Where is it now? All right, lets get you out of here.

Stephen: Hey. I don't have any feeling in my legs.

Nick: Yeah, shock.

Nick helps Stephen to sit up and gives him the torch.

Nick: Here take this.

Nick then helps Stephen to his feet. Stephen leans heavily on Nick and limps as they leave the room.

Stephen: There's something I have to tell you.

Nick: Ah, you're not dying. It can wait.

Stephen: Helen's alive? She was here. She gave me a message.

Nick: What's the message.

Stephen: She's waiting on the other side of the anomaly. She said… she said if you want to know the truth, you've got to come and find her.

Nick brings Stephen out of the tunnel just as the soldiers arrive on the platform.

Nick: Help! We need a medic!

Outside the Station. Connor is on her computer, looking up possible creatures. Claudia and Abby are with him, looking over his shoulders.

Connor: Okay, Carboniferous. So it's probably an Arthropleurid. That's a centipede on steroids, basically. It's more or less blind, good sense of smell and touch. I mean, this thing's pretty big and scary looking, but it's more or less timid. It's the kind of bug that'd stick to the kitchen at parties.

Claudia: This one must have a personality disorder. How dangerous is it?

Connor: According to this, it would have eaten dead wood and leaves.

Claudia: So it's not poisonous.

Connor: No way.

Claudia: That's a good thing then.

The soldiers arrive with Nick and Stephen. Claudia, Hilarie, Abby and Connor rush over.

Hilarie: Oh no. Stephen.

Soldier: Medic! Stretcher!

They load Stephen onto a stretcher and the paramedics take over.

Paramedic: We've got it.

Hilarie: Stephen!

Someone pulls Stephen's collar back to expose the wound.

Nick: He's been bitten by the Arthropleurid.

Hilarie: Same wound, same symptoms as the pest controller. We need to do something before it destroys his central nervous system.

Connor: Poison?

Nick: The spiders are off the hook. It's the centipede that's the killer.

Claudia: Not poisonous you said.

Connor: Look, I was only speculating.

Stephen: Tell them about Helen. She was there.

Nick, Connor, Abby and Claudia fall back, away from the stretcher.

Claudia: What's he talking about.

Nick: I don't know. He must be hallucinating.

Claudia: He looked seemed fairly lucid to me.

Stephen is being loaded into the ambulance, the paramedics pause to open the doors.

Stephen: You know, you look really beautiful.

Hilarie: Huh, now you tell me.

Stephen: You didn't really go to the library, did you?

Hilarie shook her head, no.

Stephen: Where did you go? Can't lie to a dying man.

Hilarie: You are not dying. I went to the doctors.

Stephen: What?

Hilarie: I'm pregnant, Stephen. So don't you dare go anywhere!

Stephen: That's fantastic. It's amazing how much easier for you to admit this stuff when i'm dying.

Hilarie: You're not dying!

Stephen is loaded into the ambulance and Hilarie jumps in to ride to the hospital with him.

* * *

Underground Tunnels. Ryan and his men are back in the storeroom, using the torches to scare the spiders back through the anomaly.

Ryan: It's working. They're going back through.

Hosptial. Stephen has been rushed in. Hilarie is following and catches up with Dr Lewis.

Dr Lewis: What happened?

Hilarie: He's been bitten.

Dr Lewis: By what?

Hilarie: We don't know. Please save him.

Dr Lewis: You need to get the venom for any chance of him surviving.

Hilarie: Just keep him alive, i beg you.

Outside the Station. Claudia, Hilarie, Abby, Nick and Connor are talking about how to save Stephen.

Claudia: Can't we run some more tests and find a match for the venom somehow?

Hilarie: It would take to long. He's dying.

Nick: No, the only way to shortcut the process is to collect a pure sample of venom from the creature that bit him.

Claudia: How the hell are we going to do that? Ask it to fill a specimen jar?

Nick: In a way.

Connor: Oh, come on.

Nick: No. It's the only option. [Into a radio] Ryan, Ryan are you there?

Abby: I have a bad feeling about this.

Underground Tunnels.

Ryan: First line's clear. Moving into second bunker.

Nick (over the radio): Have you seen the centipede yet? If we lose it Stephen's dead.

Outside the Station.

Nick (into radio): On no account let it return through the anomaly. Repeat, do not let it go back. [To Connor] Find me something that will do the job.

Claudia: What are you going to do?

Nick: I'm going to invite a very angry centipede to bite me.

Underground Tunnels. Nick, Abby, Connor, Hilarie and Claudia enter the storeroom where Ryan and his men are standing guard. They go through the fence to where Ryan is.

Ryan: Bunker's clear. And it hasn't been through the anomaly on my watch. There's nowhere else for it to go. Either it's already gone through, or it's behind that door.

Nick: We go in there.

Nick leads everyone through the door into the tunnels beyond.

Nick: Keep your eyes open, this thing's fast.

They go through the tunnels, checking each dead end.

Ryan: Clear.

Nick: It's gone back. We must have lost it. Damn it.

Hilarie: No! No, we need it.

They go back to the storeroom. Nick is standing in front of the anomaly with Claudia.

Nick: If Stephen hadn't come back for me, then he wouldn't have got bitten.

Claudia: It wasn't your fault.

Connor rushes into the room.

Connor: Professor! I'd forgotten. Arthropleurid, they were supposed to be burrowers, so look for a hole, in the floor, in the walls, anywhere.

Connor goes back through the fence and he and the soldiers start looking for a hole. Connor finds it hidden behind a load of junk and does a little victory dance.

Connor: Cutter! I found it!

Nick rushes into the room.

Connor: I was right, it is still here.

Claudia: Good work.

Nick: How deep could this be?

Connor: A creature that size? 50 feet, maybe.

Nick: All right, fine, I'm going in.

Claudia: You're crazy.

Hilarie: I've been telling him that my entire life.

Nick ignored Hilarie.

Nick: There's no other way of finding out where it's gone.

Connor: I'm going to come too.

Nick: Aye.

Connor: Right.

Nick runs off to grab a glass bottle full of turpentine.

Connor: Cool, okay, um… [To Abby] Look, if I don't come back, you can have my Star Trek Next Generation top trumps.

Abby: I'll treasure them.

Connor: You know what, on second thoughts, maybe you should bury them with me.

Nick (to Connor and Ryan): Here, put this on your clothes. It's turpentine. Bugs hate it. All right?

Ryan and Connor do as instructed and then the three of them enter the tunnel. Connor glances back once before he enters, and after he has gone, Claudia crouches by the tunnel entrance. Hilarie and Abby wait. Nick and Ryan have torches, but Connor doesn't. The tunnel is just wide enough for them to crawl through and there are loads of roots coming out of its sides.

Connor: I won't have a panic attack. I will not have a panic attack.

They come out the other end into an area that looks a bit like an underground building site. The walls are concrete and there is a structure made of large steel girders, which is several storeys high.

Connor: Could it really have climbed up there?

Nick: Let's find out.

Ryan starts to go up the stairs first, but Nick stops him.

Nick: Just got to give it a chance to get to me first.

Connor: Claustrophobia and vertigo on the same day. This is, um, fabulous.

Nick: Whatever happens, don't shoot until we've got the venom.

The reach the top storey. There was a fence around the platform at the top, keeping people out, but there is a hole in it, which Nick, Ryan and Connor go through. This area is electrified, as shown by a 'Danger of Death' sign on the twisted ruins of the fence. The Arthropleurid is on one of the girders above them. They don't notice until Connor accidentally knocks over a stool and they turn around. It comes down the girders towards them and Nick steps forwards.

Nick: Come on.

The Arthropleurid lunges at Nick, who raises his arm. The Arthropleurid releases Nick and he stumbles back. Ryan shoots at the creature but it has not effect apart from making it angry. The Arthropleurid lunges at Ryan and knocks him back, but doesn't bite him. Connor grabs the stool that he knocked over earlier (a metal stool in an electrified area, that's clever), and he lunges at the Arthropleurid with it.

Nick: Careful, Connor.

The Arthropleurid grabs hold of the stool and pulls it out of Connor's grasp.

Ryan: Let it go!

The stool has become jammed in the Arthropleurid's mouth and it tries to get rid of the stool by thrashing around. The stool accidentally hits one of the electrified areas, electrocuting the Arthropleurid, which then falls off the platform and to the ground. The guys all take a couple of deep breaths before Nick and Ryan start to laugh in relief (Connor is mildly shocked that he saved the day). Nick pulls back his sleeve, revealing the plastic bag full of Arthropleurid venom.

Nick: Lets get this back to Stephen.

Hospital. Stephen is unconscious, but looking a lot better. Hilarie is sitting in a chair by his bedside when Connor enters.

Connor: How is he?

Hilarie: The convulsions have stopped. That's something.

Connor: How long have you two been together?

Hilarie: Four years now. Friends for eight. We met via Nick.

_Central Metropolitan University. Eight years ago. Nick, Helen and Stephen were in Nick and Helen's office. Helen was going to go do some research with her and Nick's niece, she was waiting for her to arrive. Nick and Stephen were going on about some sort of scientific things. There was a knock on the door and Hilarie appeared letting herself in._

_Hilarie: Hey. Need to go._

_Nick, Helen and Stephen turned to look at Hilarie. Stephen checking Hilarie out. Hilarie had shoulder length wavy blonde hair and big brown eyes. _

_Nick: Hi, Hilarie._

_Hilarie: Hey Nick...Come on, my cars waiting. _

_Helen smiled grabbing her bag. Hilarie then noticed Stephen. _

_Nick: Hilarie this is Stephen Hart, he's a student here. Stephen this is Hilarie Elliot, she varies between things._

_Stephen shook Hilarie's hand, smiling. Hilarie grinned back. Hilarie left with Helen. Helen giving a knowing look to Nick._

Connor: Wow, long time. About Abby...

Hilarie: I know she fancies him. I don't hold it against her, you can't help who you fancy.

Connor: The same thing happened to me once. With Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I admit she's a fictional character, but, you know, when it feels real… Then she starts hanging around with this badly animated dog and it all got a bit weird. Always break your heart in the end though, eh?

Stephen starts to cough, and his eyes open. Connor goes to the door as Hilarie leans closer to Stephen.

Connor: Doctor! I think he's back.

Hosptial. It's later that day. Stephen is sitting up in bed, reading a book and looking a lot better. Claudia enters.

Claudia: Hi.

Stephen: Hi.

Claudia: How are you feeling?

Stephen: Like I gargled with sand and slept inside a tumble dryer.

Claudia: So, tell me about Helen.

Stephen: What about Helen?

Claudia: You saw her.

Stephen: I saw her? When?

Claudia: In the tunnel. That's what you said.

Abby arrives at the door and listens in.

Stephen: I… I was gone, you know. I don't remember anything. I was probably just seeing things.

Claudia: Yeah, probably.

Claudia leaves and Hilarie enters.

Stephen: What was all that about?

Hilarie: You really can't remember a thing after you were bitten? None of the things you said in the ambulance? Or what i said beforehand?

Stephen: What did I say?

Abby: Oh, just stuff. I just thought some of it might of stuck, that's all.

Stephen: Was it important?

Hilarie: Well, kind of, but that's for another time.

Stephen: Thanks for looking after me, Hilarie.

Underground Tunnels. Nick is sitting in front of the anomaly, looking sorry for himself. Connor enters via the hole in the fence and goes to sit next to him.

Connor: Hi. Hey, um… Does this mean I'm back in?

Nick: Any way we can keep you out?

Connor: I just want to help.

Nick: You did a good job.

Connor: Oh my god. You know what? All my life I've wanted to be in a crime-busting gang. And now I am. Sort of. I don't suppose you would consider giving me a cool nickname, would you?

Nick: No.

Connor: Oh well. I thought not.

Connor leaves, but Nick is looking marginally less sorry for himself. Until he turns back to the anomaly. He gets up and walks closer to it and reaches out a hand.

Nick: Where are you Helen? What do you want?

Stephen and Hilarie's apartment. Hilarie is watching the tv alone, due to Stephen still being in hospital. She places a hand over her belly.

Hilarie: It's going to be an interesting seven months.


	3. Chapter 3

Swimming Pool. Anthony Barton, a male lifeguard dives into the pool; he and Diane Johnson, his girlfriend and co-worker, are using the pool after hours. The Diane gets out of the pool and goes to get changed. She dries her hair as Anthony goes to dive into the pool again. A Mosasaur swims below him and leaps up as he dives in. Anthony screams as he is swallowed whole. Diane hears and goes to investigate.

Diane: Anthony?

She walks back toward the changing rooms, past a window that looks under the surface of the pool; the mosasaur rams the window, making her scream.

Nick Cutter, Claudia Brown and James Lester are in a conference room with several other officials, watching and listening to Connor Temple reporting on the status of the anomaly from the last episode via some sort of video link.

Connor: The magnetic field is remaining consistent at five tesla. At this point there is no sign of deterioration. Let me demonstrate. Huh?

On-screen, Connor holds up a metal flask.

Lester: Who's that idiot?

Nick: Connor Temple. He looks like a half-wit, but he has a very good brain.

Connor lets go of the flask, and it flies into the anomaly.

Connor: Woah! Bulls-eye! That kills me every time.

Lester: We may stand on the brink of Armageddon, but at least we have an irritating student on our side. How reassuring.

Connor: Is this thing still on?

The video link is switched off.

Lester: The previous anomaly proved to be temporary. As you've just heard, this one shows no sign of weakening.

Nick: The anomalies may be intermittent, and they fade from time to time, but they never completely disappear.

Lester: Well, if that were true, creatures would have come through before.

Nick: Maybe they have. Ancient civilisations have spoken of monsters and dragons. Perhaps they weren't as naïve as we assumed. The anomalies are conclusive proof that the past exists in a fourth dimension as real and solid as those we already know. Our job is to predict and contain them. We need to establish what…

Lester: Thank you, Professor. We'll take his from here. The Professor is speaking in an independent capacity. Official policy is yet to be finalised.

A man walks in and hands Lester a note.

Lester: It appears we may have another one.

Hospital. Stephen Hart is packing up the things he had with him in the hospital due to the events of last weeks episode. Connor is with him.

Connor: You really can't remember a thing?

Stephen: Not a thing after I went into the tunnels. Probably for the best though, right? Still, they say it's only short term, so, you know…

Connor: It's all been pretty scary, hasn't it? You know, it's not until you got bitten that I though that one of us might actually die from doing this. Really upset me.

Stephen: You must have gone through hell.

Connor: Yep.

They both grin.

Connor: It did make me think about what's important though, you know. Sorts out your priorities a bit. If you get killed, can I have your iPod?

Abby Maitland walks in before Stephen can reply. She is wearing a skirt. The guys do a double take.

Connor: Is that perfume?

Abby: I can do the girl thing, you know.

Connor: Ooh.

Stephen: You look really good.

Abby: Thanks.

Stephen: It's good of you both to come. Shouldn't have bothered.

Connor: Don't flatter yourself. Some of us just like hanging out with nurses.

Abby: Come on, I'll give you a life home.

Stephen: Oh, there's no need. Hilarie's picking me up.

Abby: Oh

Stephen: Bye

Connor waves as Stephen leaves.

Connor: If you carry on, Hilarie is going to beat your ass.

Abby throws a pillow at Connor.

Abby: Sorry.

Connor: It's alright.

Abby: Well, so much for the girl thing.

Connor: I think you look great.

* * *

Swimming Pool. Nick and Claudia are talking to a Police Inspector as the walk along the side of the pool.

Inspector: Pretty obvious she killed her boyfriend, but we don't know what she did with the body. Just keeps babbling on about monsters and sea serpents.

Nick: Would you let me talk to her?

Inspector: What about? Monsters? I'm conducting a serious murder investigation here…

Nick: There was no murder. Anthony Barton was killed by an ancient marine predator, which then returned to its home, millions of years in the past.

The Inspector turns to Claudia as Nick walks away.

Inspector: Who are you people?

Claudia: I'm sorry. Thanks for you're time Inspector. Cutter, wait.

Nick: The girl's innocent.

Claudia: I know.

Nick: We can't let her go to jail for something she didn't do.

Claudia: Leave that with me, I'll do what I can for her.

* * *

Swimming Pool. Connor and Abby are sitting at the edge of the pool, Connor has taken off his shoes and socks and is dipping his feet in the water. Stephen, who is wet and is wearing the bottom part of a wet suit, joins them. He sits down and puts on flippers. Hilarie enters, just arriving.

Connor: With all this chlorine in the pool, I'm surprised the creature came through. To a reptile it would have been like swimming in a bucket of acid.

Stephen: Yeah. It probably sensed the danger and got out fast before the anomaly closed.

Abby gets up and walks away carrying a sample case. Stephen has his flippers on now, and he cleans the lenses of his goggles before putting them on.

Connor: Hey Hils.

Hilarie: Hils?

Connor: Yeah, its my new nickname for you.

Hilarie: Ok.

Stephen: Where've you been?

Hilarie: Somewhere.

Hilarie leans down and kisses him before walking away to join Abby.

Connor: Do you think she's hiding something?

Stephen: Yes.

Stephen dives into the pool.

* * *

Home Office. Claudia and Lester are walking through the building.

Claudia: The police have charged Diane Johnson.

Lester: I know.

Claudia: We have to intervene.

Lester: We're not going to do that.

Claudia: Why not?

Lester: Because I won't allow this story to become public property. At least in prison the newspapers can't get hold of her.

Claudia: So you're just going to let them lock up an innocent and traumatised girl?

Lester: Of course it's undesirable, but it would be far worse to release her to cause panic and disorder. I'll see that the charges are dropped when the immediate crisis is under control.

Claudia: That could take months.

Lester: And would you rather tell the police that an ancient sea monster is cruising our swimming pools consuming lifeguards? I know the injustice stings, but the correct decision is often painful. That's the burden of government.

Reservoir. The small harbour has a pier and a few boats moored up. Lots of people are around, walking along the waterfront, sailing, canoeing, visiting a café etc.

The mosasaur swims through the murky waters of the reservoir.

A large lump of meat floats to the surface in front of a set of canoeists. A woman screams and people start to run around.

* * *

Home Office. Lester is sitting at his desk. Claudia and Nick are standing in front of him. Claudia has a set of photos. She gives them to Lester.

Claudia: Well, the DNA is conclusive. It's the boy from the swimming pool. Or what's left of him.

Nick: It's a bolus. A regurgitated mass of flesh and bone. The beast swallowed him whole and then vomited up what it couldn't digest.

Lester: And what kind of creature could have done this to him?

Nick: What you should be asking yourself, is how the remains of a boy who was attacked in a swimming pool, end up 20 miles away in a reservoir.

Lester: Maybe there never was an anomaly. Maybe the girl murdered her boyfriend in the swimming pool and dumped his body in the reservoir.

Nick: It's very likely, provided you also believe she swallowed him whole and then drove 20 miles down the motorway to regurgitate his remains.

Lester: All right, then you explain it.

Nick: We know it was the same beast in the pool and the reservoir. Perhaps the anomaly has a fixed point of origin in the past, yet somehow it remains fluid in our time. They don't just open, they move.

Reservoir. Nick and some soldiers arrive at the pier. Claudia and CAPTAIN RYAN and his men are already there, along with Connor (who is marking water levels) and Abby, Hilarie and Stephen (who are testing water samples).

Nick: How are you?

Ryan: All right.

Claudia: We haven't found anything yet. No creature, no anomaly, no nothing. We're still searching the reservoir, but with any luck the anomaly's closed again.

Nick: I need detailed local maps, lists of swimming pools, rivers, lakes, anything nearby. Can you get those for me?

Claudia: Should I be asking why?

Nick: It's just an idea.

Claudia: Do you know what I miss? Those soul-crushingly dull civil service meetings, which made suicide look like an exciting career option. I used to sit there praying something would happen in my life

Nick: Careful what you wish for.

Connor: Professor! Professor!

Nick rushes around to the other side of the pier to where Connor is poking a stick into the water. The stick has a piece of red tape around it part way up. The water doesn't reach it.

Connor: You're really going to want to see this. The reservoir's land locked, right?

Nick: Yes.

Connor: So, allowing for condensation and rainfall, the depth should be pretty consistent.

Nick: Yes.

Connor: Well, I made this mark at water level earlier

Connor shows Nick the tape, then puts the stick back in the water.

Connor: The water level's fallen 40 centimetres since then.

Stephen runs up to them.

Connor: This isn't a reservoir any more, it's a tidal lake. The water's literally pouring out of it.

Nick: It must be flowing out through the anomaly.

The three men turn and stare out across the reservoir.

Nick: Which means it's still down there somewhere.

The mosasaur is still swimming around down there.

Nick is standing staring over the water. Claudia joins him and hands him a hot beverage.

Claudia: Here you are.

Nick: Thanks very much.

Claudia: Thinking about Helen?

Nick: How did you know that?

Claudia: Highly trained civil servant. We're famous for our emotional empathy.

Nick: Whatever I'm doing, she's always there. She never really goes away.

Claudia: Strange. Of all the people in the world to hallucinate, Stephen chose Helen.

Nick just stares across the water.

Nick: Steam. Don't you see? The tide must be coming in, bringing in warmer water from the other side. The steam is telling us exactly where the anomaly is.

Reservoir. Soldiers are running around making preparations. Nick and Stephen are in wet suits along with a couple of other guys; they get into inflatable boats to go out further into the reservoir.

Claudia: I suppose there's no point in asking you not to go down with them.

Nick: You don't have to worry about me.

Claudia: I'm not. I'm just thinking about all the paperwork I'll have to do if you drown. No idea how many forms I'll have to fill in. What if you're right and the creature's still down there?

Nick: We'll find it. All right?

Nick and Stephen leave in the boat as Claudia and Ryan watch from the pier.

Connor, Hilarie and Abby watch Nick and Stephen leave, and then walk along a small beach by the pier. Abby is carrying a sample case.

Connor: Why does Stephen get all the fun stuff to do whilst we get stuck collecting water samples?

Hilarie: Because he's got some idea what he's doing.

Connor: That's debateable. I could do the action stuff too as well, you know. I'm not just a massive intellect.

Nick and Stephen don scuba tanks and masks and dive into the water along with a couple of soldiers.

Connor: He doesn't remember a thing, you know, Stephen.

Hilarie: Yeah, i know. And it's bloody annoying.

Abby: To be fair he was just poisoned by a prehistoric centipede.

Nick and Stephen are under water, doing various checks. Nick gives the 'OK' sign.

Hilarie: Its just one of the most important things i tell him, he goes and forgets it.

Connor: What was it?

Hilarie just looks at him not answering him. There is also a mosasaur, which is still swimming around down in the reservoir. Nick and Stephen are also down there.

Connor, Hilarie and Abby are waist deep in the reservoir, collecting samples of the water. They are a little way away from each other, when something spooks a pair of swans nearby and they take off. Connor watches them suspiciously. He sees something else.

Connor: Abby? Hilarie? Um, what's that?

The mosasaur surfaces nearby and swims towards them.

Nick and Stephen are still underwater. Suddenly, the soldier who was swimming in front of them disappears through the anomaly. They stop and stare.

The mosasaur starts to circle Abby, before going back under again.

The mosasaur is deep underwater. Nick and Stephen are at a similar depth, they swim to the surface and get back into the boat.

Connor, Hilarie and Abby are in the same positions. Connor shifts slightly.

Abby: Don't move!

A shot of the mosasaur.

Stephen and Nick are back underwater recording the anomaly.

The mosasaur cannot be seen near Connor, Hilarie and Abby.

Hilarie: Go!

They three of them move as quickly as they can through the waist deep water.

The mosasaur moves quicker.

Connor: Quickly Abby! Hilarie!

They reach the edge of the water and scramble up a small bank before turning back to the water.

Connor: Jump! You two okay?

The mosasaur leaps out of the water and tries to reach them, but it can't climb up the bank. Connor, Hilarie and Abby move from side to side, trying to keep out of its reach, staying pressed against the fence. Hilarie gets out of the way. Connor pushes Abby out of the way.

Connor: Move now! No back!

He darts forwards and grabs an oar from one of the canoes left on the bank. He lunges forwards, trying to hit the mosasaur with it.

Abby: Connor, be careful!

Connor hits the mosasaur over the nose a couple of times before the oar breaks and somehow gets lodged in the roof of the mosasaur's mouth. The creature shakes the oar loose and turns away, diving back into the water.

The mosasaur swims towards Nick, the only diver with the anomaly, shaking it's head and roaring. It leaves a slight trail of blood behind. It swims past Nick, ignoring him completely, and enters the anomaly. The anomaly closes soon after.

Reservoir. Connor is talking to Nick about what happened.

Connor: Some kind of mosasaur, maybe six or seven metres. Cretaceous, at a guess.

Abby and Hilarie are being checked out by Ryan's medics, they are wrapped in a blanket.

Nick: Scary. And at that size, it couldn't have been fully-grown.

Medic (to Abby): Take deep breaths.

Connor: Yeah.

Nick: Which is just as well for you.

Nick pats Connor on the back and rubs his shoulder as Claudia approaches. They turn to face a group of Ryan's men who are standing a short distance away with Ryan and Stephen.

Claudia: They're all really upset about losing the diver. Tell me exactly what happened.

Claudia and Nick walk towards the group, leaving Abby, Hilarie and Connor behind.

Nick: He swam through right in front of me. He should have been able to make it back through.

Claudia: Something must have stopped him. Are you absolutely certain the anomaly's closed?

Nick: Straight after the mosasaur went back through. The water temperature's already returned to normal.

Claudia: Then we've lost him.

Nick: Yeah.

Abby approaches Connor and grabs his hand.

Abby: You saved my life.

Connor: I did, didn't I?

They hug.

Abby: Okay.

Connor: What?

Abby: You can let go now.

Connor: Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I just…

Abby: Thanks.

Hilarie: Yeah, thank you.

Home Office. Lester, Hilarie, Claudia, Nick and Stephen are in a meeting room, there are a load of maps on the table.

Nick: The anomalies are times equivalent of an earthquake. Strong enough to rip apart the boundaries between dimensions. My guess is that the fault line ruptured at the swimming pool, then ran to the reservoir. It could crash its way through into our time again anywhere along this line.

Lester: Earthquakes? Temporal fault lines? Are we trying a little too hard people? It's random chance, that's all. There's no connection with any of it. Try to look on the bright side, Cutter. The anomaly's gone, the crisis is over and I'd say we got off pretty lightly.

Claudia: Except that a good man in now permanently marooned in the past.

Nick: There could be another breach along the fault line at any given moment. You should be stationing troops at every significant body of water between the reservoir and the coast.

Lester: The press would be crawling all over us in seconds. How on Earth would we explain it? I mean, you admit that it's all conjecture?

Nick: Yes, of course it is, but I'm right.

Lester: You people, you're worse than the climate change mob. One cold day in July and suddenly it's the new Ice Age.

Nick: You're making a mistake. If and when the anomaly breaks through again, I guarantee you it will be somewhere along this line.

Family Home. Two children are running outside to play; their mother is following them.

Woman: Okay, guys. Ten minutes before school.

She takes a basket of dirty washing down into a cellar picking up dirty clothes along the way. She loads the washing into a washing machine and switches it on. Water is covering the floor from the other side of the room, she doesn't notice. The woman goes back up stairs and picks up her kids' school bags. She turns and notices the wet footprints she has left. She goes back into the cellar and finds the floor covered in water. She runs back upstairs as a plug socket sparks. We see a glimpse of a Hespernois.

Central Metropolitan University. Connor is in the cafeteria, working on his laptop. His friends Tom and Duncan approach him. Duncan sits opposite him whilst Tom remains standing.

Tom: Mosasaur, eh? Cretaceous era marine predator. Anything from 2 to 20 meters in length and two tonnes in weight. Extinct 65 million years ago.

Connor closes his laptop and gathers his stuff together.

Tom: I was reading that. What's this? New project?

Connor: No. No. No, no, no, just interested. Oh, is that the time? I'm going to have to go.

Tom: Whoa, what's the rush? It's DVD night. 'Battlefield Earth', director's commentaries. Your turn to get the pizza.

Connor: Right. You know what? You can have it on me. I've really got to be somewhere.

Connor hands Duncan some money and then leaves. Tom sits in the seat he just vacated.

Tom: What's got into him?

Duncan: Maybe he's still angry over our practical joke.

Tom: Come on. That fake dinosaur was a masterpiece.

Duncan: Yeah. Perhaps he's got a girlfriend.

They both laugh.

Duncan: Nah.

Tom: Well, it must be pretty radical. He missed my Gerry Anderson marathon last weekend as well. Said he wasn't interested.

Duncan: How weird is that?

Tom: Why the sudden obsession with dinosaurs?

Duncan: Maybe he's onto something. A dig somewhere, a good fossil, something he wants to keep to himself.

Tom: Which would be selfish. You know, I think we need to keep a closer eye on that boy.

Home Office. Stephen is walking through the building. He sees a screen with a bunch of pictures of the room where he was attacked in. He has a couple of flashbacks.

Stephen (thoughts): Helen.

He ends up leaning on a stair rail. Nick comes down the stairs and pats Stephen on the back as he passes, he is carrying a rolled up map.

Nick: Come on, let's go.

Nick stops when Stephen doesn't start to move.

Stephen: I've been remembering things.

Nick: You mean Helen?

Stephen: Why didn't you tell anyone? Did you go looking for her?

Nick: Look, if she wanted to talk to me then she could have. Why keep playing games with me?

Stephen: You mean this isn't the first time? How long have you known she was alive?

Nick: Look, not long. But all these years, she let me think she was dead. She let me go through that. What does that tell you?

Stephen: Come on, there could be all kinds of reasons why she stayed away. The point is she wants to see you now.

Nick: She left you to die on your own.

Stephen: Maybe she thought help was coming.

Nick: Maybe she didn't care. You think I don't want to know what happened? I've thought of nothing else for eight years. But what if…What if the truth is worse than not knowing? Are you going to tell the others?

Stephen: No, it's not my call. But if she was my wife, I'd go through a million anomalies for her.

Nick: Yeah, but she isn't, is she?

Stephen: But she was important to me too.

Nick: I know that.

Nick turns to leave.

Nick: Are you coming?

* * *

Family Home. The woman is showing a plumber down the stairs into the cellar.

Plumber: Uh, I thought you said you got a leak in the washing machine, love. Not an indoor pool.

Woman: Can you stop it?

Plumber: We'll see.

The plumber wades into the water; it's up to his waist. The woman stays on the stairs. He checks behind the washing machine.

Plumber: Well your connections are fine. It must be a mains leak.

There's a splashing sound behind him and he turns around, shining his torch into a dark area of the cellar.

Plumber: Well, your dog's enjoying a swim anyway.

Woman: We haven't got a dog.

She goes back up the stairs and the plumber takes a look around. A hesperonis is perched on a counter top. It lunges at the plumber as he goes past. The plumber stumbles backwards and falls over; he flounders in the water as the creature keeps attacking.

Plumber: Help me!

The hesperonis dives into the water and starts biting at the plumber.

Plumber: Help me!

He manages to get his feet under him and stumbles to the stairs as the woman comes down.

Woman: Are you all right?

He starts to go up the stairs but is dragged back under. The woman screams.

* * *

Home Office. Claudia and Lester are discussing what happened at the house.

Claudia: We haven't clarified the exact picture yet, but it looks like a plumber was attacked in some woman's cellar.

Lester: I'm surprised, have you seen how much these people charge?

Claudia: She claims that the damage was done by some kind of large reptile.

Lester: And I suppose you're going to tell me this town lies directly on Cutter's mythical fault line? I'm really beginning to dislike that man.

Family Home. A body floats to the surface of the pool in the cellar. It is the diver they lost at the reservoir.

A bunch of black jeeps pull up outside the house, Ryan and his men are inside. Ryan is in his civvies, as are his men.

Man on radio: All units, a second body has been found in the basement. I repeat, a second body has been found in the basement.

Ryan on radio: Zero to team Bravo. Move into position and set up…

Ryan and two others enter the house. The divers body is being zipped into a body bag. There is a handkerchief tied around his wrist with the initials H.C. on it.

Ryan: Hold on.

Ryan takes the handkerchief and makes a call.

* * *

Home Office. Lester and Claudia are in a meeting room.

Lester: I want the press kept as far away from this as possible. If we have to, we go with an escaped crocodile story, but apart from that, we deny everything.

Lester starts to leave, when Claudia's phone rings.

Claudia: Sir. Claudia speaking. Right. Thank you. Bye-bye. They found a body in the basement. Special forces diver.

Lester: Great.

* * *

Family Home.

Claudia arrives in a jeep. Ryan moves to greet her.

Ryan: It's our diver. The man we lost in the reservoir. Looks like he died of shock. They found this tied around his wrist. We don't know how the hell it got there.

Ryan shows Claudia the handkerchief. She notices the initials.

Nick, Hilarie and Stephen are in the cellar watching some soldiers poke around. Claudia joins them on the stairs.

Nick: What kept you?

She gives him a look.

Nick: What is it?

She shows him the handkerchief.

Hilarie looks straight to Nick at seeing the handkerchief, confused. Nick and Claudia are upstairs by the door leading to the garden. Nick is leaning on a windowsill and Claudia is standing in front of him.

Nick: Helen's mad old aunt used to give us those handkerchiefs, um… Same present every single birthday and Christmas, and we used to make jokes about them. That's a message. It means Helen's waiting for me on the other side of the anomaly.

Claudia: Just like she was in the Underground.

Nick: Yeah.

Claudia: Why didn't you tell me? You lied to me, to all of us.

Nick: Try and see it from my perspective. I had just found out that my dead wife was still alive.

Claudia: She might know things. Things that could help us. You have no right to decide what we should know and when we should know it.

Nick: She's my wife.

Claudia: Maybe in your mind that gives you some kind of special privilege, but this affects all of us. If you can't see that, then you just can't be here anymore.

Claudia throws the handkerchief to the floor and walks away.

Outside, Abby has arrived and is helping Hilarie unload gear from the back of a jeep. Stephen is watching Hilarie, before hugging her from behind. Hilarie laughs, as he kisses the side of her head.

Stephen: My memory's back. Some of it anyhow. Enough to know why you're here and there.

Hilarie: And? We've got a job to do.

Stephen: Can we at least talk about it?

Hilarie: Sure.

Stephen: Are you seriously thinking about carrying on with this job when your pregnant?

Hilarie: I'm not thinking about it. I'm doing it.

Stephen: Ok, Ok. I just want to tell you that i think it's brilliant.

Hilarie: Good.

Stephen: I love you.

Hilarie: Love you too.

Lester arrives in a posh car, with a police escort. Ryan greets him as he exits the car.

Ryan: Area secure sir.

Lester goes into the house.

Family Home. Lester, Ryan and Claudia are standing in front of Nick, Stephen, Hilarie, Connor and Abby. Lester is not happy.

Lester: The revelation that Helen Cutter's still alive changes everything.

Connor: She's still alive? Um, how did I miss that?

Hilarie: Long story.

Connor: So, eight years, she's been living in the past. My God. How are we going to explain Celebrity Love Island to her?

Claudia: Shut up Connor.

Lester: She's eight years ahead of us in terms of understanding the anomalies. Her knowledge could be priceless and we have to share it.

Stephen: Which is fine if she was here, but she isn't.

Lester: Which is why we're going to go and find her. We know she wants to make contact. She must be brought back here, by force if necessary.

Nick: This is my wife you're talking about.

Lester: Which is why I want you to go through the anomaly and bring her back. You will of course have a military escort.

Nick: To do what? Shoot her if she won't come back?

Lester: To protect you, both of you. The alternative is you sever all ties with the anomaly project with immediate effect, and we'll go and find her ourselves.

Nick: Okay, on one condition. I go on my own. There's no question of force. I'll do my best, but if she doesn't want to come back, then that's it.

Claudia: How can we trust you?

Lester: Oh, I'm sure Professor Cutter won't let us down again. You will try and remember what side you're on, won't you?

Nick is all geared up for the dive and is making the final preparations. Stephen is with him, crouching on a wooden platform in the cellar.

Stephen: Okay, so you've got about an hour of air, and a mile of rope. Take a compass reference as soon as you get there, and just stay attached. After two hours, we'll reel you back in. The water pressure in the anomaly is going to be intense, okay? So the harder you swim, the more air you're going to use.

Stephen holds up a harpoon gun.

Stephen: Now this has an effective range of about ten metres. If you have to use it against a predator, wait until you see the whites of its teeth.

Lester and Claudia are having a discussion/argument outside the house.

Stephen, Claudia, Ryan and another soldier are on the platform, watching as Nick dives. Stephen starts playing out the rope. Hilarie comes and joins him. Nick swims through the anomaly and emerges on the other side. Lots of hesperonis' are swimming around him, but none attack him.

The Past. Nick surfaces and goes to the shore. He leaves his scuba gear (and the rope it's attached to) on the beach, along with the harpoon gun. He take a look around, some flying creatures are above the other side of the lake.

Nick: Helen!

Nick sets off along the beach and climbs a rock formation. Hesperonis are perched on the rocks and hiss at him, but don't attack. He gets half way up the cliff, when he hears a splash. He looks to his left and sees HELEN CUTTER swimming, naked, in a small pool below.

Helen: Hello Nick, I see you got my message.

Helen is getting dressed; Nick has his back to her whilst she does so.

Helen: You've lost weight. You haven't been eating properly.

Nick: You let me think you were dead.

Helen: I am dead as the person you knew. My old life ended eight years ago. You know, you can turn around, I'm decent. There's no easy way to do this, is there?

Nick: Well, maybe we should just skip the small talk. Why didn't you come back?

Helen: What are you really upset about Nick? That I stayed away, or that I didn't tell you what I was doing?

Nick: I'm not upset Helen. I just don't know who you are anymore.

Helen: you want to know why I didn't come back? Because I knew your conscience would make you throw all this out there for everyone to trample over and I wasn't ready to share it then. Hey!

A hesperonis gets too close and Helen throws a rock at it.

Helen: Hesperonis. Scary up close, but cumbersome and very stupid. What do you want Nick? An apology? What's the point?

Nick: Eight years of my life back would be nice.

Helen: Look, come on. People grieve and then they heal. It happens all the time. Why should you be any different?

Nick: Well, why come back at all then? Let me guess, you want something.

Family Home.

Stephen and Hilarie leave the cellar and joining Connor and Abby on the ground floor. Abby has a stopwatch and Connor is looking at some maps.

Stephen: Abby, how long has he been?

Abby: 91 minutes, 41 seconds.

Connor: The drains. Stephen? In theory, a creature could make its way along the sewage system all the way to the river, and once it's there, it could go anywhere.

Stephen: And?

Connor: Well, good news is the size of the drains rules out anything bigger than a small mosasaur.

Abby: Well, how small.

Connor: Not small enough.

Hilarie: And i thought today couldn't get any better.

Claudia enters the rooms with a bunch of guys who are pulling on wetsuits.

Stephen: What's going on?

Claudia closes the door on them.

Hilarie: I don't like her.

* * *

The Past. Helen hands Nick the lid of a thermos flask and fills it for him.

Nick: You've come back before? Did you watch me grieve? Did you come to the funeral?

Helen: No. Was it good?

Nick: It was okay.

Helen: I'll answer all your questions, Nick. All you have to do is come with me. There are more anomalies than you can possibly imagine. I know how to find them.

Nick: I asked you a question. Why do you want me now? After so long?

Helen: I'm human. I want company. I want to share this incredible gift, but only with you. Nick, I have seen such wonders. Things you wouldn't believe.

Nick: You're asking me to abandon my life. Leave behind everything I know. You know, people are dying back home, and you want me to just run away with you?

Helen: Animals die, Nick. Species die. You know I'm right. One day, humanity will disappear, just like the dinosaurs, and nature doesn't care, something else will just take our place. Nick, just leave all the other stuff behind. Come with me.

Nick: I've got a job to do, you could help me if you like.

Helen: You're rejecting me?

Nick: I'm asking you to come back with me.

Helen: I offer you the key to time. The key to time, Nick. And you turn your back on it? Call yourself a scientist?

Nick: I call myself a human being.

Nick walks away and Helen watches him go. Nick dives back into the lake, and Helen watches him go. Nick has almost reached the anomaly when a mosasaur approaches. Nick watches as it swims above him. He turns back around and starts as he sees another mosasaur, smaller than the first, heading towards him. Nick swims away, but the mosasaur head butts him. The mosasaur circles around and Nick fires the harpoon at it. The weapon grazes the creature, making it mad. Nick continues to swim towards the anomaly, but the mosasaur comes up behind him and manages to slice through Nick's air hose. He slides the scuba gear off, leaving just the rope tied around him. The shadow of the larger mosasaur appears behind the smaller one. Just as the small mosasaur is about to attack Nick again, the large one attacks it front the side, killing it and swimming away with it.

Family Home. Abby and Connor are on the ground floor. Connor is still looking at maps and Abby is pacing. She sighs.

Abby: His times up.

Stephen, Ryan, Hilarie and another solider are in the cellar. Abby's voice comes over the radio.

Abby on radio: Stephen, that's two hours. He'll be running out of air.

They start pulling Nick through the water. Claudia joins him.

Stephen: Come on, come on. He's lost his tank.

Claudia: Quick, get him out.

Nick is unconscious, Stephen and Ryan jump into the water to drag him out.

Hilarie: Nick!

Ryan: Get his head up.

Stephen: He's not breathing.

Stephen and Ryan lift Nick onto the platform with Hilarie's help. Hilarie starts to give Nick CPR.

Ryan: Medic! Get some air inside him.

Nick starts coughing up water, and sort of wakes up a little. Stephen and Ryan support him on either side and take him up the stairs. A stretcher is brought to the top of the stairs and Nick is put on it.

Claudia: Was Helen with you?

Nick: Yes.

Claudia: So she was there. [To Ryan] You know what to do.

Ryan: Let's go.

Ryan goes back downstairs, followed by a bunch of guys in wetsuits and scuba gear.

Stephen: Who's this?

Claudia: Sorry, it's out of my hands.

Stephen: What?

Hilarie: What do you mean by that?

Claudia leaves the house, leaving Stephen and Hilarie standing in the hallway.

* * *

Family Home. Nick is sitting in an ambulance outside the house, Abby is inside with him and Connor is standing by the door. Both of them look worried and Connor keeps glancing back to the house. He watches one of the soldiers at the front of the house get a message on his radio.

Nick: How long have I been out for?

Abby: Not long.

Nick: I have to talk to Claudia.

Abby: There's something you should know.

Nick steps out of the ambulance, and three soldiers rush forwards, point their guns at him.

Soldier: Stand still. Don't move!

Nick: What's going on?

Soldier: Stay still.

Lester comes out of the house, followed by Ryan, and two of his men. Between them, they are holding Helen. Stephen and Hilarie are following them. Helen shoots an accusing glare at Nick. Nick looks shocked. Connor and Abby look slightly nervous about the guns being pointed at them, and a soldier is holding both Hilarie and Stephen back at the house. The soldiers put Helen in a car. Lester also gets in a car with Claudia. They drive away with their police escort.

Hilarie: I think i'm going to be sick.

The soldiers let her go just in time for her to be sick.


	4. Chapter 4

Council Estate. A bunch of kids are playing football in front of a block of flats. One of them hits a metal bin, scoring a goal rather loudly. An Asian woman, Mrs Davis, leans over the railing a few floors above them.

Mrs Davis: Oi! You lot! Pack it in!

The kids laugh and continue playing football as the Mrs Davis goes back into her flat. Her young son is in the bath. He turns around as the lid of the toilet rattles. A hissing noise is heard and the toilet lid lifts to reveal a snake.

* * *

Home Office. In the Maximum Security wing, two soldiers are escorting Helen Cutter down a corridor. She sits at a table and is being monitored from another room. James Lester and Claudia Brown are in the same room as Helen.

Helen: Presumably there are still laws against kidnapping?

Lester: Hmm. Though, officially, you're dead. We can't have kidnapped someone who doesn't actually exist, can we? The only way you can get out of here is by telling us everything you know about the anomalies.

Helen: I'll tell you one thing, you're the spitting image of a utahraptor I once met in the Jurassic.

Someone enters and hands Claudia a note.

Lester: I'll take that as a refusal to co-operate, shall I?

Claudia: We've got another one. In a block of flats in the city centre.

Lester: Happy now?

Council Estate. Captain Ryan and his men arrive at the flats in the back of a van. They jump out and run into the building. The kids who were playing football stand and watch them, with their hands raised in the 'surrender' pose. Nick Cutter, Stephen Hart, Hilarie Eliot and Connor Temple arrive in Nick's 4x4. They also enter the building. Stephen pauses to kick the football that the kids have resumed playing with. He manages to hit a sign that reads 'No Ball Games'.

Connor: Fluke.

Stephen: Jealous.

Hilarie: Boys.

Ryan and his men arrive at the flat. They point their guns at it and look ready to kick the door down. Ryan nods to one of his men, who knocks on the doors. Inside the flat, Nick is getting ready to open the bathroom door, Ryan and a few other soldiers have their guns aimed and ready, and Mrs Davis is standing behind them.

Mrs Davis: I didn't expect the SAS.

Nick: The town council takes pest control very seriously, Mrs Davis. Are you ready?

Ryan nods. The door is opened and Ryan and 1 of his men enter the room, closely followed by Nick and Stephen. Connor and Mrs Davis move into the doorway.

Nick: Relax, everyone. It's only a python.

Mrs Davis screams.

Mrs Davis: Only a python? What the hell were you expecting?

Connor: Ow.

Hilarie: Not that.

* * *

Home Office.

In the same room as before, Lester and Claudia are still interrogating Helen. Lester and Helen are having a staring match across the table.

Claudia: Well, it turns out it was an illegally imported pet. Escaped from the upstairs flat and it's been living in the drains.

Lester: Did you know it was a false alarm? You told your husband you knew how to find the anomalies.

Helen: Whatever I said to Nick is between me and him.

Lester: Prior knowledge of anomaly locations would be priceless. If you can give us that information, it's your absolute duty as a citizen to do so.

Helen: But as you pointed out, I don't even exist, so how can I be a citizen?

Lester: You know, I have the power to make your life extremely unpleasant.

Helen: How can you bear to work with this man?

Claudia: At the end of the day this is about something very simple. Saving lives. Now, you can do that. So if you know anything at all, just tell us.

Helen: Bring Nick to me and I'll tell you everything I know.

* * *

Council Estate. Nick is descending the stairs in the apartment block.

Nick: Do you have any idea how many times I've tried to call you today?

Claudia is on the other end of the line, in an observation room, with monitors showing Helen.

Claudia: I've been busy And actually you should be thanking me you're still involved at all.

Nick: You can't get rid of me. You need me.

Claudia: Well, the truth is we need each other. Believe me, more now than ever.

Nick: I hope she's driving Lester crazy.

Claudia: You better get over here now.

* * *

Council Estate. Connor is sitting on the toilet seat with his laptop, Hilarie is looking over his shoulder at the screen. Stephen is standing in the middle of the bathroom holding the snake, trying to put it in a sack. Abby is in front of him, grinning.

Connor: Don't worry, this one's just a baby. Fully grown they can be up to 20 feet long.

Stephen (sarcastically): That makes me feel so much better.

Abby: Are you okay?

Stephen: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I love snakes.

Hilarie: Liar

The snake hisses and Stephen passes it to Abby.

Stephen: We're going to need a bigger sack.

Stephen leaves the room.

Abby: Stephen!

Connor: Abby, can I ask you a quick favour?

Abby: I'm a bit busy now.

Connor: It's just, I'm having a bit of hassle with my flat at the moment. I was just wondering whether I could stay on your couch for a few days.

Abby: Connor, does this look like Tai Chi I'm doing?

Connor: It'd just be until I sorted something out.

Abby: Yeah, whatever. We'll talk about it later.

Stephen comes back in with a bigger sack.

Stephen: How's this?

Abby: That's good.

They put the snake in the sack.

Stephen: Okay, there we go.

Abby: Right, I'll see you in a minute.

Stephen: Where are you going?

Abby: Tea break.

Abby leaves the room, Connor and Stephen share a look. Hilarie laughs.

Connor: I'm not touching it.

Stephen looks to Hilarie.

Hilarie: Dude, pregnant.

* * *

Home Office. Helen is seated at the same table as before. Nick is opposite her.

Nick: Are they looking after you properly?

Helen: If you cared about that you wouldn't have set me up in the first place.

Nick: I didn't set you up. [Sighs] Okay. Believe what you like.

Helen: They're listening to every word, aren't they.

Nick: Oh, I don't know. Probably.

Helen: I need you to get me out of here, Nick.

Nick: Well, then, tell me what you know! Tell me where the anomalies are. Tell me why they're happening. Then maybe I can help you.

Helen: Right now, why is the least of your worries.

Nick: You see, what does that mean?

Helen: You want me to help? Alright, I'll help. Unless you act within the next few hours a pride of sabre-toothed killers will be rampaging through central London.

* * *

Tom's Van. A yellow Volkswagen camper van pulls up outside the flat. Tom is driving, Duncan is in the passengers seat and Connor is in the back.

Connor: Thanks for the lift.

Tom: Man, you could have kipped on our sofa.

Connor: Better offer.

Tom: Who from?

Connor: You wouldn't know her.

Duncan: Her?

Tom: A girl? Right.

Connor grabs his bag and stands to leave the van.

Tom: Whoa, you forgot this one.

Tom holds out a bag, it has a key ring of a silver alien with red eyes.

Connor: Hey, a Roswell key ring. That's cool.

Tom: It's our little housewarming present.

Connor: Aw, I'm touched. Thanks a lot dudes.

Tom: Get out.

Connor: See ya.

Tom: See ya.

Connor leaves the van as Tom and Duncan wave, and crosses the road.

Tom: You did turn it on.

Duncan: Yeah. Of course I turned it on.

Tom: Great. Whatever his secret is, we will soon know.

Duncan: Oh yes.

* * *

Abby's Flat. Abby is playing with REX, who is in his tank. She is tickling his nose with a branch.

Abby: Does it tickle there?

The doorbell buzzes. Abby opens the door to find Connor standing outside.

Abby: What are you doing here?

Connor: The room. Do you remember? Don't worry, you'll hardly know I'm about. Listen, you, um… You couldn't just give us a kiss, could you?

Abby: No!

Connor: I'll give you 20 quid.

Abby: Oh, what do you think I am.

Abby opens the door further and reveals to Connor, Tom and Duncan (who are watching from the van) and the entire street, that she is only wearing a t-shirt and knickers.

Connor: I think you're a person who kidnaps dinosaurs and hides them from the authorities.

Abby: You wouldn't.

Connor raises his eyebrows, Abby gives him a peck on the cheek and they go inside.

* * *

Tom's Van. Tom and Duncan have been watching the interaction between Connor and Abby. Tom sighs.

Tom: Unbelievable. Are you getting a signal.

Duncan: Roswell's alive and kicking.

He holds up a hand held tracking computer.

Across the street, the eyes on Connor's key ring flash as Connor gives his friends a thumbs up before closing the door of the flat.

Abby's Flat. Connor walks in and dumps his stuff by the sofa.

Connor: Wow.

Connor messes around with some of Abby's gym equipment, before stripping off his jacket.

Connor: Whoo! It's like a sauna in here, Rex.

Connor drops onto the sofa next to Rex's tank.

Connor: Abby? You couldn't just stick the kettle on could you?

* * *

Tom's Van. The boys are waiting in the van, looking very bored. Duncan yawns. Tom sees something and thumps Duncan on the arm.

Tom: Hello.

Duncan: What?

Tom (whispering): Now that's got to be the real boyfriend.

They can see Stephen in the rear view and side mirrors.

Duncan: Oh no!

Stephen rings the doorbell before leaning down to the speaker.

Stephen: Abby. Abby?

Abby opens the door wide, Stephen sees her underwear then looks away.

Abby: Hi. Come in.

Tom and Duncan snicker.

Duncan: Connor is so dead!

* * *

Abby's Flat. Abby runs over to Rex's tank and throws a blanket over it. Stephen walks in as she pulls on a dressing gown.

Stephen: I'm not interrupting anything am I?

Abby: God no.

Connor comes down the stairs, grinning, in just his underwear (and ever present fingerless gloves).

Stephen: I didn't know you were here.

Connor: Ah, well. We're only telling close friends.

Abby: He's been chucked out of his flat and he's sleeping on the sofa.

Stephen: Right. And the underwear?

Connor and Abby: Thermostat.

Connor: It's too hot.

Abby: It's broken.

Stephen: Nice legs.

Connor: Thanks. Oh.

Stephen walks further into the room, Connor rushes after him and sits on the edge of the sofa, pulling the blanket further across Rex's tank. He pats Stephen on the back as he passes.

Connor: Go ahead.

Stephen looks at some of Abby's snakes, as Abby and Connor share a look.

Stephen: I hate to break up the party, but you better get dressed. Helen's talking.

* * *

Home Office. Helen is sitting at the same table as before Cutter is in an observation room above her with Lester and Claudia.

Nick: Smilodon. Its literal meaning is "knife-tooth". They're up to 3 metres long. They have sabre teeth. They hunt in packs. They're ruthless predators. Now, according to Helen, a large pride has established itself near an anomaly and it's only a matter of time before they find their way through.

Claudia: London's a big place. Where exactly is this going to happen?

Nick: Well, that's your problem. She won't tell us. She wants to take us there herself.

Lester: It's a trick.

Claudia: I agree.

Nick: That's possible. But maybe she wants to prove to you that she's not as callous as you imagine.

Lester: Well, she could do that without moving a muscle.

Nick: Look, she might well be selfish, but she's not evil. I know her.

Claudia: You mean you used to know her.

Lester: I think I trust her about as far as I can throw a stegosaurus.

Nick: Okay, then the consequences of doing nothing could be a massacre. I don't know how you explain that to the Tourist Board.

Football Stadium. Several jeeps pull up outside the stadium. Inside, Helen walks onto the pitch, closely followed by Captain Ryan and 2 of his men, and Nick, Hilarie and Claudia. They glance around.

Claudia: Here?

Helen: Do exactly as I say and this doesn't have to be a disaster.

They end up in the kitchens of the stadium, Ryan and his men check the room out. Helen stops in front of the kitchen's fridges. Abby, Connor and Stephen have joined the group by now, along with a few more soldiers.

Claudia: In there?

Helen: Yup. In there.

Claudia: Connor?

Connor turns from where he has been standing with Stephen, he looks a little apprehensive. Nick gives him a nod. Connor approaches the fridge and gets out his compass as Helen and Claudia give each other frosty looks. The compass doesn't do anything.

Connor: There's no trace of a magnetic field.

Helen: The doors are too thick, it can't penetrate the metal.

Claudia: Is that true?

Nick: Possible.

Claudia (to Ryan): Watch her.

Claudia goes to unlock the fridge as Ryan moves closer to Helen, gun ready.

Helen: Hey! What if the cats have already come through. They could be right behind that door.

Claudia: You know what, she's really starting to get on my nerves.

Hilarie: I can understand that.

Claudia: You're bluffing.

Helen: Try me.

Claudia: Stephen.

Stephen goes to the fridge, it is locked with a padlocked chain. He pats his pockets and Helen hands him a knife from her belt. He breaks open the lock and hands the knife back. The soldiers get into position as Ryan and Stephen opens the fridge doors. The anomaly is there, and it's magnetic field starts pulling various items across the room.

Ryan: Get down!

Stephen catches a metal sieve just before it hits Connor in the head.

Stephen: This is where you duck.

Connor: Okay.

Everyone ducks as more items (sieves, knives, forks etc) fly into the anomaly.

Helen: You know, you'd make a terrible poker player.

She and Claudia share another look.

Hilarie: I'm sensing something between you two.

Helen looks to her amused.

* * *

Tom's Van. Tom and Duncan are in the van, outside the stadium. They are watching a couple of soldiers on guard and pretending to read newspapers.

Tom: This is Area 51 all over again.

Duncan: Alien landing site?

Tom: Mmm-hmm. The secrecy, the SWAT teams, they must have some kind of bunker under there, man.

Duncan: In a football stadium?

Tom: Duncan! Shh! That's the beauty of it, yeah? It's the last place anyone would expect it.

Duncan: Yeah.

They watch the two soldiers go inside.

Tom: God, these people are clever. Really clever.

* * *

Football Stadium. Still in the kitchen, things have stopped flying about, and Connor steals a pie from the fridge.

Connor: Anybody hungry?

Helen: Oh my God. We've got to get rid of them. The meat will act like bait.

She tries to rush into the fridge and Ryan and another soldier grab her. Nick goes past her into the fridge. Helen grabs Ryan's tac vest.

Helen: Unless you want your men to be breakfast, I suggest you do something.

Nick starts passing boxes of pies out to Stephen.

Nick: Here.

Ryan shakes Helen off and gets his men moving.

Ryan: Okay, clear them out.

Nick: Quickly, here.

Helen: Okay.

Nick: Take this.

As Nick passes a trolley of pies to Stephen, Helen runs past him and dives into the anomaly.

Claudia: Get her back!

Nick: Helen!

Hilarie: Huh. Didn't see that coming.

Ryan goes after her and Nick tries to, but is grabbed by 2 soldiers. He looks at Stephen, who takes off into the anomaly.

Claudia: For God's sake, someone stop him!

Hilarie: That i did see coming.

Claudia sends an annoyed glare at Hilarie.

Through The Anomaly. Stephen exits the anomaly and rolls down a small hill. As he comes to a stop, Ryan spins and points his gun at him. Stephen puts up his hands and gets to his feet as Ryan lowers the gun. Thunder can be heard.

Stephen: Oh my God.

They are at the spaghetti junction of anomalies. At least 7 anomalies are open in the area, and Helen is nowhere to be seen.

Football Stadium. Claudia, Nick, Stephen, Hilarie, Abby and Connor are looking at a laptop, showing the other side of the anomaly.

Nick: It's incredible.

Connor: It's the spaghetti junction of anomalies.

Stephen: There's no way I could follow her. It would be like running into a Hall of Mirrors.

Claudia: Let me guess, not one sabre-toothed cat in sight.

Stephen: Not even a kitten.

Claudia: You tried to follow her.

Nick: To stop her. What possible reason could I have for wanting her to escape? I want answers more than anyone.

A chirping noise is heard.

Ryan: Incoming.

All the soldiers raise their guns and aim at the anomaly. Squawking and roaring noises can be heard from the other side. The noises continue as a bunch of Dodos (at least 5) come through. They knock one soldier over, and everyone else begins to chase after them.

Nick: Round them up, everybody. Don't let them get out!

Cue dodo chasing montage. People chase them up and down kitchen aisles, Stephen tries to trap one under an up turned bin, and a soldier slides on his belly after missing one. Nobody notices the dodo that eats Connor's Roswell key ring.

* * *

Tom's Van. Tom and Duncan exit the van, tracking device at the ready.

Tom: Right, Connor's on the move.

* * *

Football Stadium. The catching montage continues. Stephen manages to get the dodo under the bin, Nick pretends to be a matador using his coat and herding it into a room, and the dodo that ate the key ring escapes unseen down a passage.

Connor: Woo hoo!

Nick: Go on, get in. In you go. In there.

The bin with a dodo under it moves, and Stephen grabs it and holds it down.

Nick: They're great!

Hilarie joins them.

Hilarie: You know when the career advisor asked me what i wanted or was going to do in the future, i never imagined that i would be trying to catch a bunch of dodos.

Nick and Stephen chuckle at her.

* * *

Tom's Van. The boys are watching the tracking device.

Tom: He should be appearing right about … now.

A dodo emerges and flaps about.

Duncan: Oh my God. They've turned Connor into a turkey!

Tom: That is not a turkey. Let's grab it.

* * *

Football Stadium. Nick is sitting on the floor, with 3 dodos around him. Abby, Hilarie and Connor are standing in the doorway, looking amused, Claudia and Ryan are with them, looking less amused.

Claudia: Dodos.

Abby: Oh, they're so cute.

Connor: And so dumb.

Abby: They're not stupid, just trusting. It's not their fault they became extinct.

Connor: Funny, you weren't this sentimental about the gorgonopsid.

Stephen arrives and stands behind Connor, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Claudia: Is that the lot?

Stephen: Yep, that's it.

Nick: We better ship this lot back before we upset Darwin. Now everybody, um … grab a dodo.

Hilarie: I'd rather not.

Nick: Hilarie!

Hilarie: Fine.

* * *

Tom's Van. The boys have caught the dodo and put it in the back of the van. They get in the front.

Tom: Well, if it walks like a dodo and squawks like a dodo…

Duncan: Yeah, and scratches like a dodo.

Tom: That's what this conspiracy is about. They're cloning them!

Duncan: Yeah, but why would they clone a flightless bird.

Tom: What would you start with, Dunc? A t-rex?

Tom starts the van and they leave, the dodo jumps around in the back.

* * *

Football Stadium. They are herding the dodos through the anomaly. Abby is helping Stephen with one.

Nick: Go on.

Abby: They're so cute!

Stephen: I see Connor's moved in.

Abby: Just until he finds a new place.

Connor is tapping a ladle against his forehead, making explosion noises. He stops when he actually hits himself. Hilarie laughs at him.

Nick: Come on. Hey, hey, wait.

Abby: Just because me and Connor stripped down to our underwear, doesn't mean there is anything going on.

Stephen gives her a funny look.

Abby: That didn't come out as I meant it.

Hilarie walks past.

Hilarie: Unless you wanted to sound like something was going on.

Ryan: Professor, we have a dodo down.

The last dodo is lying on the floor, obviously dead. Nick and Stephen crouch down to check it out.

Claudia: Oh no.

Abby: Oh, how did that happen.

Connor: Maybe it ate one of the pies.

Connor has his compass out again by the anomaly. Nick gives him a dirty look.

Connor: Sorry.

Nick: Poor little guy. We should do an autopsy to find out how he died.

Stephen: Could have been the shock.

Nick: Well we've both been through aswell as Hilarie and we're alright.

Stephen: As far as we know.

Connor: Cutter. The anomaly is fading.

* * *

Tom and Duncan's flat. In a (very nice flat) Tom and Duncan are standing next to a chair where the dodo is standing, flapping about.

Tom: Oh, man. If we play our cards right with this, Duncan, our student loans are a thing of the past, man!

Duncan: Oh yeah! Oh, he's a friendly little chap, isn't he.

The dodo grabs Duncan's MP3 player and throws it around.

Duncan: Oi!

Tom: No, no. Let him have it. Let him have it! We'll be able to buy like a hundred MP3s when this thing gets out.

Duncan: Oh yeah.

The dodo jumps off the chair and starts running around, knocking things over as it goes.

Duncan: Now take it easy boy. Easy!

Tom: What's he got there? Oh no! Not my Converse All Stars!

Duncan: Phwoar! Oh, that stinks! Oh, I think I'm gonna hurl.

Tom: No, no, no. Don't contaminate it because we can sell dodo sick on eBay.

* * *

Home Office.

Abby, Stephen, Hilarie and Nick are standing around the dead dodo, ready to do an autopsy. Hilarie is about to make an incision when the dodo jerks. The four of them jump back.

Stephen: Whoa, whoa. It's … it's muscle spasm.

Nick: No. It's been dead for hours. Okay.

They approach the dodo again. Again, as Hilarie is about to cut, something happens. The mouth of the dodo opens, and a screaming worm-like parasite exits the dodo. Abby and Hilarie make a disgusted noise and everyone yells as it drops to the floor and starts wriggling after Abby. She backs up to the wall.

Nick: Stephen, grab that.

Stephen puts a bell jar over the top of the parasite, trapping it. They breathe a sigh of relief.

Hilarie: Is it weird that i find that disgusting? When i was just about to cut open a dodo?

* * *

Tom and Duncan's flat. Tom is on his computer, looking up dodos, and Duncan is trying to watch the TV, made difficult by the fact that the dodo keeps changing the channel by chomping on the remote.

Duncan: I'm trying to watch Countdown here.

Woman on TV: Lots and lots and lots of children …

Duncan: Okay, okay. You choose the channel.

The channel hopping continues until it lands on a black-and-white monster movie. The roaring from the dinosaur in the movie startles the dodo, and it drops the remote before attacking (and smashing) the TV.

Duncan: Bad Dodi!

Tom: No, no, no, no, no. Good Dodi, good Dodi. He's going to buy us a 42-inch plasma, Duncan.

Duncan: What's it say about behaviour.

Tom: Uh, the dodo was renowned for being slow, stupid and harmless.

Dodi starts squawking and runs at Tom, attacking him with its beak and opening up a gash, which starts to bleed.

Tom: Ah! That really hurt!

Duncan: Maybe he's getting over excited. Come on Dodi, time for a nap. That's it, good boy.

Duncan takes the dodo into another room and shuts it in as Tom clutches his arm.

Duncan: Through here, that's it. Good boy. Whoops, there you go.

Duncan returns to Tom.

Duncan: What is it?

Tom shows him the gash.

Duncan: Birds don't have teeth.

Tom: What if they've created an attack dodo?

Duncan: Just how evil are these people?

Tom: Never underestimate the unseen power, Duncan. Never. But the time for the little man to fight back has finally come. Huh? Huh?

They high five and Tom winces.

Duncan: Oh, sorry.

Tom: No, it's alright. You Google Max Clifford, I'm going to get some kind of bandage on this.

Duncan: Right yeah.

Tom gets up, and walks away hunched over his arm. Duncan sits at the computer, staring at the smashed TV as he does so.

Home Office. Lester has joined Nick, Stephen, Hilarie and Abby in the lab with the parasite, Nick is examining the parasite whilst the others watch.

Stephen: It looks like some type of larva.

Nick: No, it's an adult. It's some kind of giant cestoid. It's destroyed the internal organs and attacked the central nervous system.

Lester: I thought the trick of being a good parasite was to live off the host creature without killing it.

Nick: No, this one doesn't compromise. It enters the blood stream as larvae, it feeds off the host, and then it moves up the body to lay its eggs.

Stephen: Keeping itself alive just long enough to reproduce itself.

Nick: And then mission accomplished, they both die together.

Lester: Isn't nature wonderful?

* * *

Tom and Duncan's Flat. Duncan runs into the room to find Tom curled up on the floor, shaking. Tom is clutching his head, and the bandage has slipped of the gash to around his wrist.

Duncan: Are you alright?

Tom: No, my head really hurts.

Dodi squawks and bangs into the door of the room Duncan has shut it in.

Duncan: I think he's trying to escape.

Tom: Well, can't you stop him? He's the only proof we've got of this conspiracy.

As he says this, we see a strange bubbling under Tom's skin, moving up his arm. Duncan leaves Tom as he curls back into a ball, and enters the room where the dodo is. The bird is jumping on the bed, trying to attack the light bulb.

Duncan: Dodi. Now, that's enough.

Dodi leaves the bed and runs at Duncan, who leaves the room hurriedly and closes the door behind him. Dodi runs into the door.

Duncan: Maybe we should call the police.

Tom: No. They'll be in on it. They'll take me away and they will do experiments.

Tom now has the material he was using as a bandage pressed against his eyes.

Duncan: What are we going to do?

Tom: I don't know. I don't know. Just let me think.

Dodi rams the door again and breaks through with his beak. Duncan runs to where Tom is lying.

Duncan: Right, come on. We've got to get out of here. Come on. Get up. That's it.

Duncan helps Tom to his feet, when standing, Tom grabs Duncan and shakes him, growling. Duncan pushes him off.

Duncan: What are you doing?

Duncan stares at Tom before grabbing his coat and running out of the flat.

Tom: Duncan, I'm sorry!

Tom's eyes turn a creepy blue.

* * *

Library. Duncan is talking to Connor behind some bookshelves.

Connor: You did what?

Duncan: We just, sort of, took it.

Connor: How did you know?

Duncan: Well, we followed you. It's some kind of mutant. It bit Tom. He's really sick.

Connor gets his phone out and starts dialling.

Connor: Well, you're both idiots.

Duncan: No, you're not calling the police.

Connor: It's way beyond them now.

* * *

Tom and Duncan's Flat.

Jeeps pull up outside the flat. Ryan and his men, Claudia, Nick, Abby and Stephen get out.

Claudia: How infectious is this?

Nick: It's not a virus, it's a parasite.

Claudia: And Tom's the host?

Nick: Yeah, and we have to isolate him before he passes it on to anyone else. [To Ryan] Now whatever you do, when you go in there, don't let him come anywhere near you.

Ryan: Right.

Nick and Ryan enter the flat with Stephen as Connor arrives with Duncan.

Duncan: Whoa, heavy.

Claudia: Are you the idiot who stole the dodo.

Duncan: There's no law against capturing extinct animals.

Claudia: You stole government property. That makes it treason.

Claudia goes inside.

Duncan: That was a joke? Right?

Connor pats him on the shoulder as they go inside.

* * *

Inside.

Ryan: Tom! Tom, where are you mate?

Abby: Tom! Tom!

Claudia: Where is he?

Ryan: No sign.

Nick, Stephen, Connor, Abbt and Duncan enter the room after Claudia. Duncan and Connor stop in the door way and stare around the damaged room.

Nick, Abby and Stephen are in the bedroom where Dodi was shut away, staring under the bed. Ryan enters behind them.

Stephen: You know those movies when you think the killer is finally dead and then all of a sudden they just jump up again?

Ryan: Yeah, I hate those films.

Stephen: Me too. [To Nick] After you.

A few minutes later, Nick reaches under the bed and pokes the dodo. Claudia, Connor and Duncan have joined Stephen, Nick, Abby and Ryan in the room.

Nick: It's dead.

Claudia: Are you sure?

Nick pokes it again.

Nick: Pretty sure.

Nick lifts the bed up to reveal Dodi's body underneath.

Nick: Alright, bag it up. But be careful.

Abby: Pour dodo.

Duncan: One minute it was friendly, and the next it just went crazy.

Nick: The parasite changed the dodo's behaviour to suit it's own purposes.

Claudia: Which were?

Stephen: To pass itself on. That's why it bit Tom, so it could incubate its eggs in the new host.

Nick: It's not safe to be around him. I'm sorry. But maybe if we'd got to him straight away, then he'd have stood a chance.

Nick, Abby and Stephen look at Connor sympathetically, Connor looks at Duncan.

Nick: But our parasite is light sensitive, so wherever Tom is, he's going to be trying to stay in the dark.

Nick leaves the room, as Stephen puts the dodo in the bag.

Stephen: Right, we need to get this back to the lab so Hilarie can prepare it for autopsy.

* * *

Hospital. A hospital waiting room, Tom is sitting, bouncing his leg up and down and biting his nails. He is also wearing sunglasses. A cartoon involving a penguin is playing on the TV. As the sunlight comes through the windows and crosses the floor towards him, Tom shifts, then starts coughing as the light hits him.

Woman's voice (whispers): Tom.

Tom carries on coughing, but gets up and runs down the hall, knocking a pile of files out of a nurses hands on the way.

Tom has reached the bathroom, and has apparently thrown up in the sink. He looks in the mirror and pulls down the collar of his t-shirt, something is moving underneath his skin, just beneath his collarbone.

* * *

Home Office. Nick, Claudia and Stephen are in front of Lester's desk in his office, Lester is leaning on his desk, flipping through a file.

Nick: Sorry, we really don't have time for this. We have to find him.

Lester: So how exactly does the parasite pass itself on?

Nick: Biting, in this case, but kissing would do just as well.

Lester: Well, by the look of him, kissing isn't likely to be much of an issue. I take it this thing is an automatic death sentence.

Nick: If we can catch the victim during the parasite's incubation period, then maybe we have a chance of saving them.

Stephen: But we're talking hours at the most. This thing's life cycle is unbelievably accelerated.

Claudia: And who knows how many people Tom could infect. Three, four. And if they bite three, four more in turn …

Lester: Yes, yes, I can do the maths for myself. Thank you. You know this is all Helen's doing. Unleashing a pandemic on us is just one more part of her twisted plan.

Nick: What plan?

Lester: You tell me.

Nick: Helen hasn't done any of this on purpose. The dodos being contaminated is pure chance.

Lester: Who knows what Helen's capable of. She's left us behind. All of us. I think you're the only person who can't admit it.

Lester takes his seat behind his desk.

Lester: Doors open. Thank you. I suggest you all hurry up and find him.

* * *

Hospital. Tom is being but through a scanning machine (either CAT scan or MRI). He winces as he exits the machine back into the light. The doctor is in the next room behind a window, with the computers, he speaks through a microphone.

Tom: What is it?

Doctor: Have you been abroad recently?

Tom: No.

The doctor comes into the room as Tom sits up, rubbing his eyes.

Doctor: I don't want you to panic, but we need to do emergency surgery.

Tom: Why? What is it?

Doctor: Don't worry. Whatever it is, we're going to get it out.

The doctor shines a penlight into Tom's eyes, Tom twists and bites him on the wrist.

Doctor: What are you doing?

Tom: I'm sorry

The doctor yells and a nurse comes in to help him as Tom runs out of the room. We can see the parasite on Tom's scans.

Nurse: Are you okay?

Doctor: Ah, he just bit me.

Tom runs into the bathroom and turns off the lights. He goes into one of the stalls and crouches down.

Tom: What have they done to me? What have they done?

The lights are flickering, and Tom's wounded arm is red and inflamed. He gets his phone out of his bag and sees that he has 15 missed calls. He calls Duncan.

Duncan: Tom? Tom, is that you?

Tom: This is big, Duncan. It's big. We've got to go public now.

Duncan: Where are you?

Tom: No, no. They're using us as carriers. They want to take over from the inside.

Connor: Tom? It's me, it's Connor. Tell us where you are mate.

Tom: No.

Connor: So we can help you.

Tom: You're one of them. You'll bring them.

Connor: No, no, no. Tom, just listen to us.

Tom: Just stay away from me, man.

Connor: Just stay on the line! Don't put the …

Tom hangs up. He throws the phone into the toilet, before crouching down again.

Tom: Proof. Proof, I need proof. I need proof.

He goes into his bag and pulls out the tracking device from earlier. It's still tracking the Roswell key ring, which is still inside the dodo.

Tom leaves the bathroom to see Nick, Claudia, Abby and Stephen enter the waiting room and meet up with 2 security guards. Presumably recognising Nick and Stephen from the River incident, he ducks back and pulls his hood up, before walking down the corridor in the opposite direction. Stephen glances down the corridor, but Tom has already gone. The doctor is clutching and rubbing at his arm in a consultation room as Claudia, Nick and Stephen walk in.

Doctor: That was quick.

Claudia: Who were you expecting?

Doctor: You're from the Hospital of Tropical Diseases. I called.

Claudia: Yes, yes, you did. Um, I'm Claudia Brown from the Home Office.

Doctor: What's going on?

Claudia: A suspected case of rabies.

Doctor: No, this isn't rabies. I saw something on the scan. It was inside him.

Claudia: Work with us. Rabies sounds a whole lot better than 'we have no idea'.

Doctor: What's he done to me? There must be a vaccine or something.

Nick: Your only hope is to have it surgically removed before it gets too advanced.

Stephen: Look, we really need to find him, okay? So if you have any idea where he is, anything you could tell us would be very…

The doctor interrupts with a gasp.

* * *

Home Office. Nick, Stephen, Abby and Claudia are in a corridor.

Nick: We have to think like Tom. Now, where would he go?

Claudia: Well, we don't know if he's on foot, in a car or using public transport.

Stephen: We don't know anything. Our only real chance of tracking him down is if, or when, he attacks again, someone's going to raise the alarm.

Abby: That may take longer than you think because Tom isn't just an animal. He's a human being. He has willpower, he's going to fight this.

Stephen: Connor, and the student guy, Duncan, they could shed some light.

Nick: Yeah, that's a good idea, try them.

Stephen: Okay.

Stephen walks off to find Connor and Duncan.

Nick: Helen wouldn't do this to us. I know she wouldn't.

Claudia walks away. Abby looks at Nick sympathetically.

* * *

Cutter's Office. Hilarie is laying the dodo down and setting out tools in preparation for autopsy. A sheet of plastic is behind her. We can see a blurred figure on the other side of the plastic. Hilarie senses someone behind her and turns.

Hilarie: Hello? Can I help you?

Tom: They're after me. I need … I need proof. I need your help.

Hilarie pulls back the plastic to reveal Tom. His hood is up and he has his sunglasses on. He looks really ill and is hunched over his arm.

Hilarie: Aren't you…

Tom: I'm … I'm Tom. Are they watching us now?

Hilarie: No-one's watching.

Tom crosses the room, making Hilarie jump as he passes her. He turns off the light before removing his sunglasses and hood.

Tom: So what's really going on with these things, huh? Hmm? Tell me!

Hilarie backs away, Tom holds out his hands before leaning onto the table.

Tom: I don't feel very well, okay?

Hilarie: Tom, just take it easy, yeah?

Tom: Wait, whoa, whoa. Don't come near me because I don't want to hurt you, see, and I will. It's not my fault.

Tom bows his head, and when his lifts it again, his eyes are the strange shade of blue they were when he attacked Duncan. When he speaks, his voice is distorted.

Tom: What have you done to me?

Hilarie screams and runs.

* * *

Home Office. Nick and Stephen talking to Duncan and Connor in the same room that Helen was interrogated in. Connor is the only one standing.

Nick: Okay. When Tom's in trouble, what's his first reaction?

Connor: Tom doesn't get in trouble.

Duncan: He's not that sort of bloke.

Nick: Then put yourself in his shoes. What's … what'll he be thinking? Where will he go?

Duncan: He'll be trying to find out what this whole conspiracy is about.

Stephen: There is no conspiracy.

Duncan: So what's all this then? Meeting of the local Women's Institute? The CIA? The Freemasons? The Illuminati? You people are always hiding the truth. Tom was right about everything. That's why we put the transmitter on you.

Connor: What? You bugged me? Of cause you did. Because that's how you found the dodo, right?

Duncan: Well, you were the one with all the secrets. SWAT teams, girlfriends…

Connor: Duncan, do us a favour, tell me where it is.

Duncan: It's on your bag. Inside Roswell.

Connor: You sneaky little …

Nick: Wait, wait, wait. How did you track it?

Duncan: Tom modified the Sat Nav on his Palmtop.

Nick: Well the he's going to come here. If Tom wants answers he's going to follow the transmitter. He's coming to you.

Nick has crossed the room to stand in front of Connor and Duncan, he gives Connor a pat on the shoulder.

Duncan: No, not quite. The dodo swallowed it

Stephen: The transmitters inside the dodo.

Duncan: Yeah.

Stephen: And the dodo is with Hilarie. You idiot, she's pregnant. You've turned her into bait.

* * *

Cutter's Office. Hilarie runs around the autopsy table so she's on the other side from Tom.

Hilarie: Tom, look. I'm not going to hurt you, okay? You've just got to really calm down.

Tom: Am I going to die?

Hilarie: No. We won't let that happen.

Tom: We? Who's we? What have they done to me? What are they growing inside me?

Hilarie: The dodo bit you, it gave you an illness.

Tom: Do you think I'm an idiot? Dodos are extinct. They're not… You know, just … Who's we? I want answers!

Tom: Just tell me the truth. What are they really doing?

Hilarie: Come on, let me get you to the hospital.

Tom: So you can put another thing inside me?

Tom's eyes glow blue again. He chases Hilarie and grabs her.

Tom: Come here.

Hilarie: Get off! Get off!

Tom: You people are evil.

Tom points to the dodo.

Tom: See, that's proof. When I'm better, I'll need proof. Because you'll try to discredit me, but I'm cleverer than you.

Hilarie: Tom, you've been infected by a parasite. Let us get rid of it for you. Let me call someone.

Tom: No!

Tom throws her to the floor and tries to bite her.

Tom: Share and share alike Hilarie!

Hilarie: No, wait! Okay! You want the truth? I'll tell you. The whole story. That's what you want isn't it? I can show you where this thing really came from.

* * *

Football Stadium. Hilarie's Volvo pulls up outside the stadium. The dodo is on the back seat, Tom leans over and strokes it.

Tom: Poor thing. You killed it.

Hilarie: We didn't kill anything, Tom.

Tom: Don't lie to me again. Things don't just happen. It's all connected.

Hilarie: I'm on your side, remember? You can trust me.

* * *

Cutters Office. Nick, Stephen, Abby, Claudia, Connor and Duncan enter the office. Ryan is right behind them with his gun.

Nick: The dodo's gone. He must have taken it.

Stephen: And Hilarie.

Nick: Look, we can try the transmitter. We have to get to him fast.

* * *

Football Stadium. Hilarie and Tom enter the stadium. Hilarie flashes her ID at a guard. The guard looks at Tom.

Hilarie: He's a Home Office scientist. He hasn't got his accreditation yet.

They go into the kitchen and Hilarie opens the fridge where the anomaly was. Tom has pulled up his hood again and is holding his arm. The fridge is empty.

Hilarie: This is where the anomaly was. I swear.

Tom shakes his head and enters the fridge.

Hilarie: We don't know why they come and go, but that's where the dodo came through.

Tom: Do you think I'm stupid? It was a trap. It was a trap. They're coming here to kill me, aren't they. You told them.

Tom advances towards Hilarie, she backs away and throws a trolley at Tom, knocking him over, before running. Tom gets up, eyes glowing again, and follows, Hilarie turns and grabs a bit of the ceiling. She lifts herself up and kicks Tom in the chest, before running out of the room. Tom gets up and gives chase. Hilarie runs down a corridor, trying doors along the way, they are all locked.

Hilarie: Help! Oh damn!

Tom: Hilarie!

Hilarie finds an unlocked door and runs into a changing room. Tom follows her in but can't find her.

Tom: Where are you!

Hilarie jumps out of a locker and attacks Tom again, she runs out of the room as Tom picks himself up, and ends up in the stands around the pitch. Tom leaps at her, knocking her to the ground, and tries to bite her again.

Hilarie: No, don't do it, Tom! Get off! No. Tom!

Everyone else arrives, Ryan and his men point their weapons at Tom.

Ryan: I've got a shot! I can take him out!

Connor runs forwards and puts himself between Tom and the guns. Duncan stays on the steps of the stands.

Connor: No! Don't shoot him!

Claudia: Connor, what are you doing?

Connor: Just, please, don't shoot him!

Stephen: Connor, get out of the way.

Nick: All right, let him try. Let him try.

Connor turns around to where Tom still has Hilarie pinned to the ground. The lasers from several guns play around Tom's head and shoulders.

Connor: Tom. Tom, it's me. Let her go, mate. Easy. Easy! Easy. You remember Thursday nights, don't you? Battlestar Galactica, Blakes 7? Pepperoni pizza?

Tom: Connor?

Connor: Yeah. They were good times, weren't they? You can fight the dark side, mate. You really can.

Tom relaxes his grip on Hilarie and she scrambles up and to where Claudia, Abby, Nick and Stephen are standing. Hilarie mostly stands behind Stephen.

Ryan: You too, Connor. Move away. He will kill you.

Connor: No he won't. He's my friend.

A tear falls from Connor's eye as he moves closer to Tom, and crouches next to him.

Connor: You come with me. We can … we can help you.

Tom: It was a conspiracy, wasn't it, Con?

Connor: Big time. Right to the top.

Tom: Was there any mind control?

Connor: Yeah.

Tom: Brilliant. Brilliant.

Tom's eyes begin to glow again.

Ryan: Connor, back away!

Abby: Connor!

Nick: No!

Tom falls forwards, into Connor's arms, Connor grabs him.

Connor: It's okay. You're okay.

Tom slumps down.

Tom: They tried to take me over, but I fought them, Con. I fought them.

Connor: You did a really good job.

Tom: Mmm. I'm a hero.

Connor nods. Tom closes his eyes, and slips from Connor's arms as he dies.

Hilarie clings to Stephen as he lowers his gun, and Nick walks down the steps to Connor. Connor stays crouched next to Tom until Nick approaches him, he stands in front of Nick.

Connor: I can't do this anymore.

Nick: Come here.

Nick grabs his arm and moves him away from Tom slightly.

Nick: We need you.

Connor: If I hadn't been involved, Tom would still be alive.

Nick: No, there's a handful of people in the whole world that know what's going on here, what we're grappling with, and you're one of them. That would have made his day. He'd have loved it. So you can't bail out now. Okay?

Connor: Okay.

Nick: Now, come here.

Nick pulls Connor into a hug. Everyone else, including Duncan, is standing still, staring at Tom, as Connor closes his eyes and starts to cry.

Stephen puts him arm around Hilarie.

Stephen: Lets get you home.

Hilarie: Mm-hm


	5. Chapter 5

Golf Club. At the Forest Heights Country Club. Andy drives up to the top of a fairway on a golf buggy, and selects a club.  
Andy: Tiger Woods, eat your heart out.  
He swings at the ball, and misses. His mate, Jeff has got stuck in a sand bank and is spraying sand everywhere.  
The Andy swings a couple more times before he hits the ball, sending it into a pond. A low growling noise is heard. The golfer's mobile phone rings.  
Andy: Jeff.

Jeff: I got stuck on a bunker. Are you on the green yet?

Andy looks at the pond.  
Andy: Yeah. Easy.  
Jeff: Okay.  
Jeff hangs up. Andy heads down to the pond to try to retrieve his ball. He puts his hand in the murky water and feels around until he finds a ball, completely missing the other 2 balls, and the sheep skull that are submerged there. He chucks the ball over his shoulder onto the green.

Abby's Flat. Connor Temple is in the kitchen making breakfast. He has croissant and jam, coffee, orange juice and fruit on a tray. Abby Maitland enters as he picks up the tray.  
Abby: Morning.  
Connor: Hey.  
Abby: Aw, shouldn't have.  
Connor: Shouldn't have what? Excuse me.  
Connor brushes past Abby.  
Connor: Oh, I'm going to go play Oblivion, if you're up to it. Widely held as a classic.  
They both walk into the living room.  
Abby: When you say widely…  
Connor: Uh-huh?  
Abby stops by the thermostat.  
Abby: 34?  
Connor: Sorry?  
Abby: Connor, the thermostat. It's at 34.  
Connor: Yep. Rex was looking a wee bit chilly.  
Connor puts his tray on the table and sits down. REX is standing on top of his tank, drinking from a saucer of water.  
Connor: The way I see it, if we get too hot, we can just take a bit more kit off, can't we? If that little fellow gets too cold, well, I couldn't bear it if anything happened to him, Abby.  
Abby: Yeah, right. Okay.  
Abby walks away as Connor pours his coffee, watching her go.  
Abby: Close your mouth, Connor. You're dribbling.  
Connor spills coffee on his fingers.  
Connor: Ow.

Golf Club. Andy is driving his buggy slowly down the green. Jeff is walking behind him, dragging his bag of clubs.  
Andy: Jeff. I mean, you could have got your own buggy. You didn't have to be such a tightwad, did you?  
Jeff: Oh, come on. Give us a lift.  
Andy: Come on, hurry up.  
Jeff goes to put his bag on the buggy, but Andy accelerates away, laughing.  
Jeff: You're joking.  
Andy is tee-ing off at the next green. He hits his ball into the tree line and goes in after it.  
Andy: So where are you, you little git?  
He searches through the ferns, and yells when he scratches his hand on something. He shakes his hand, and a drop of blood flies away and hits a walks out of the trees, inspecting his injured hand. He turns and looks towards where he has just walked from, when he sees something. Andy drops his golf club and starts to run. We see from the view of the creature chasing him, and it swoops down behind him. Andy glances over his shoulder.  
Jeff is playing nearby and stops as he hears Andy's screams as his is lifted into the air. Jeff runs towards where the screams are coming from, and finds Andy's body. All we see is a bloodstained shoe.

Abby's Flat. Rex is sitting on the sofa, chirruping. Connor is sitting on the floor in front of the sofa. He is playing a video game (presumably Oblivion). He opens the menu of saved games, where we see the name TOM (the friend who died in the last episode). Connor glances at a framed photo of the two of them and Duncan on the wall.  
Abby: I'm off to yoga!  
Connor: Right.  
Connor returns to his game.  
Connor: Well, any time you need help with your bending or with your stretching, you should give me a call.  
Abby comes into the room and stands between Connor and the TV.  
Abby: Windows shut at all times.  
Connor: Yup.  
Abby: Get in and leave by the same exit. On which subject, how many days are there in a week, Connor?  
Connor: Is this a riddle? How many?  
Abby: Seven.  
Connor: Well, that's neither funny nor clever.  
Abby: Nor is the fact that you'd be here a week, and you're still here a month later.  
Connor: I'm still working on it. Following up a few leads.  
Abby: Yeah, I can see that.  
Abby leaves. Rex moves a little closer to Connor, chirping again.  
Connor: She likes me Rex. Oh yeah. She likes me bad.

Manor House. There is a Manor house at the golf course, with an ambulance parked outside. A Special Forces soldier is seen running towards it. Claudia Brown is talking to Captain Ryan.  
Claudia: Four hours? I told you to seal the perimeter, not dry stone wall it. I want it done in an hour. Where's the golfer's body?  
Ryan: In the casualty clearance centre in the main house.  
Claudia: Are there any more victims?  
Ryan: None we know of.  
Claudia: Good. Keep me briefed.  
Ryan moves off, and Claudia approaches Nick Cutter, Hilarie Eliot and Stephen Hart who are talking to Jeff, who appears to be being treated for shock. As they see her approach, they finish talking to Jeff, and move off to talk to Claudia.  
Nick: Okay, thanks.  
Claudia: What did he see?  
Nick: All over by the time we got here.  
Claudia: Have you found the anomaly yet?  
Nick: Well, we're not absolutely sure there is one yet. And I need to see the victim.  
Stephen and a reluctnat Hilarie go back and talk to Jeff again.  
Claudia: Look, I think I should warn you. Lester's getting impatient. Think's you cause more problems than you solve.  
Nick: What do you think?  
Claudia: I think it would be helpful if I could show him we're making some kind of progress.  
Nick: Or what?  
Claudia: Or it becomes difficult.  
Nick: Look, Lester doesn't own this. The government doesn't own this. If you really want to help, keep him off my back.  
Claudia: Please don't make me take sides, Nick.

Abby's Flat. Connor is still playing video games in his dressing gown, but is now sitting on the sofa. Rex is playing with a Wotsit (a cheesy snack) and chirping.  
Connor: You enjoying that, Rex?  
The phone rings. Connor pauses the game and picks it up.  
Connor: Abby Maitland's love shack, number one stud speaking. Oh, no, no, it's … It's Connor, Professor. Yeah, must have been a … Sorry?  
Cut to Connor rushing through the flat (now dressed properly), he pulls on his coat, and grabs his hat, bags and keys, and rushes out the door, not realising he has left a window open, which Rex looks quite interested in.  
Outside, Connor gets in a Mini Cooper, and leans over to get a book out of his bag. Rex swoops into the car whilst he is leaning over.

Manor House. A soldier exits a room and closes the door behind him. Inside the room, a Special Forces medic is putting a sheet over Andy's body, which Nick, Hilarie and Claudia have been looking at. Claudia turns away.  
Medic: He's been torn to shreds.  
Hilarie: It's almost surgical the way the flesh has been torn away so cleanly. There's no wastage.  
Claudia: Any idea what might have done this?  
Nick: A creature of devastating power and savagery, to do just that in a few minutes. There's one thing for sure. It came through an anomaly. The first thing we have to do is find that.

Golf Club. Nick is standing in the middle of a field. Stephen, Hilarie and Abby walk up to him.  
Stephen: No trampled or broken vegetation. No track marks and no sign of any anomaly, but there is one hell of a magnetic field, so it's to be here somewhere. Unless there's a pylon causing interference.  
Abby: Can't see anything.  
Nick: Be quiet a minute and let me think here. Quiet!  
Abby: We didn't say anything.  
Nick: No, I mean it's too quiet. Listen. There's no birdsong.  
Hilarie: Not a peep.  
Stephen: They're scared off.  
Nick: What would scare the birds away? You were wrong, it's not a pylon. There is an anomaly.  
Stephen: Where?  
Nick: We're standing right underneath it.  
All four look up and gasp. The anomaly is quite a way above them.  
Stephen: It's an aerial predator.  
Abby: Wow.  
Nick: Yeah, that's one way of putting it. Now how the hell do we cordon off the sky?  
Hilarie looks to the side and sees something. Hilarie: Nick. Hilarie hits Stephen on the chest. Stephen looks to where Hilarie is looking.  
Nick: I mean, this thing could be anywhere by now.  
Abby has joined Stephen and Hilarie, and they are looking at the Pteranodon. Nick is looking in the wrong direction.  
Stephen: I wouldn't be so sure about that.  
Abby and Hilarie throw theirself to the ground, and Stephen tackles Nick as the Pteranodon dives at them, screeching. They get to their feet.  
Stephen: So, not so hard to find then.

Golf Club. Connor pulls up at a gate being guarded by 2 soldiers. He shows them his ID.  
Connor: Access all areas, I think you'll find. Thank you.  
The soldiers let him pass. Rex is on the parcel shelf above the boot. The guy who checked the ID looks at Rex curiously as Connor drives past.  
Connor drives towards the Manor, and parks up outside. Connor gets out of the car, and takes his jacket off, having a look around as he does so. He turns to put his jacket in the car, and sees Rex, sitting on the top of the car.  
Connor: Oh my God! Oh, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I was just… I was a bit shocked, that's all, that you're here. I mean, it's lovely, that you're here and everything. It's probably best if you stay in the car, mate. Yeah? Okay, there's a good lizard. Nice and still. Nice and still, Rex.  
Connor has edged around the car. He tries to grab Rex, who bounces to the other side of the car roof.  
Connor: Do you want to play? You want to play! Of course you do. Rex, please, mate. My life's not going to be worth living if we get caught. Just get back in the car, yeah?  
At this point, Connor tries to grab Rex again, but the lizard jumps up and flies towards the woods. Connor follows.

Golf Club. Cutter is watching the pteranodon through a pair of binoculars. Abby, Hilarie and Stephen are with him.  
Abby: What is it?  
Nick: Pterodactyloid pterosaur. It's probably a pteranodon.  
Abby: Is it what killed the golfer.  
Stephen: I'd say it's definitely in the frame.  
Nick: Well, pteranodon was supposed to have mainly eaten small reptiles and fish.  
Stephen: Probably just snacking until human's came along.  
Abby: Why's it circling?  
Stephen: Looking for a roost?  
Nick: Well, it's spoilt for choice. Hilarie: Certainly looking for something.  
At the other end of the fairway, Rex emerges from the trees, closely followed by Connor.  
Connor: Rex! Rex! You know, I swear, when I catch you, you're going to be the first animal to become extinct twice. Come here, I'm serious.  
Stephen notices movement at the other end of the fairway.  
Stephen: Is that Connor?  
Nick: What.  
Stephen: Connor.  
Connor: Got to be honest with you. You're making my life quite difficult right now, Rex.  
Abby: What's he doing?  
Nick: More importantly, what's our friend up there doing?  
Stephen: He's not looking for a roost. He's looking for lunch.  
Abby, Hilarie and Stephen: Connor! Connor!  
Nick: Connor! Come here, quickly!  
Connor winces.  
Connor: Great. Hear that? That means game over. Eh? You think I'm chasing after you one more step, you're sadly mistaken sunshine.  
Nick: Ryan! Will you come over here quickly?  
Claudia, Ryan and two of Ryan's men hurry over to where Nick and the others are standing.  
Rex's chirping changes tone as he sees the pteranodon swoop in behind Connor.  
Connor: What?  
Connor turns and sees the pteranodon.  
Abby: Get into the trees! Hilarie: Run!  
Stephen: Run you idiot!  
Connor: Rex, run!  
The two of them start to run towards the trees.  
Abby: Run, Connor.  
Ryan: Cover it!  
Claudia: Oh, no.  
Connor: Rex! Come on mate!  
Claudia: Shoot it.  
Nick: No, wait a minute. There's something about this that doesn't add up. I'm just not entirely sure what it is yet.  
Claudia: Do it.  
Nick: No! We should only kill these creatures when there's absolutely no other choice!  
Claudia: Choice? What other choice? In a matter of seconds, Connor's going to be ripped to shreds!  
Stephen: We can't take that chance.  
Claudia: Follow your orders, Captain.  
Ryan: Yes, ma'am.  
Ryan fires as the pteranodon closes in on Connor, but Nick pushes him, causing him to miss.  
Claudia: Nick.  
Ryan fires again, but misses again.  
Ryan: It's out of range.  
Just as the pteranodon is about to reach them, Connor and Rex jump down an incline and it misses. Connor lies on his back, laughing with relief, as the pteranodon flies away.  
Connor: Woo!  
Claudia: Really wish you hadn't done that. God knows how many people you just condemned to death.  
Nick is looking through his binoculars again, to where Connor is lying.  
Nick: Wait a minute. There's a lizard with him.  
Claudia: A lizard?  
Nick: Salurosorophus.  
Abby: Oh, he let Rex escape!  
Everyone turns to look at Abby.  
Claudia: What have you done?  
Nick: You kept him?  
Abby: No. Yeah. Yes. He came back. I was just looking after him.  
Claudia: What do you think we're doing here? Running some kind of private zoo?  
Abby: I'm sorry, guys.  
Stephen: That's why your flat was so hot. Hilarie: and that explains the whole underwear fiasco...well maybe not.  
Connor is jogging towards them, brushing sand off his hat.  
Nick: Now, we don't know enough about the creature yet.  
Claudia: Lester was right. You people are a menace. What do you think we're doing here, Nick? Playing some kind of game?  
Nick: Nobody's taking this more seriously than we are.  
Stephen: Look, it's wounded, okay? So it's not going to go far. It needs to roost.  
Claudia: I hope you're right. For all our sakes. [To Ryan] Come on.  
Connor reaches then as Claudia and the soldiers leave.  
Stephen: She's got a point.  
Nick: Look, I'm not being sentimental. There were good reasons for not killing the creature.  
Stephen: And you're sure about that?  
Nick: No, of course I'm not sure! I've probably just made the biggest mistake of my life! Just a hunch, that's all.  
Connor: Well, that was a bit of a laugh wasn't it?  
Nick: Silly arse.  
Connor: What?  
Nick and Abby both give Connor dirty looks and walk away.  
Abby: Hey, look. I just didn't want Rex to be locked up. Poked and prodded by Lester's people. Can I keep him?  
Nick: You'd better bloody find him first.

Manor House. Nick, Hilarie and Stephen are talking to Claudia and Ryan about pteranodon.  
Nick: Pteranodon hunted from high vantage points. Cliff tops, mountains, anywhere that gave it a good sight of potential prey.  
Stephen: We need to be looking at all the highest points within a couple of miles.  
Ryan gets a message on his radio and points to the laptop.  
Ryan: Real-time images are coming through now.  
Stephen zooms in on a satellite image, until the pteranodon can be seen, resting on top of a building in the city.  
Stephen: There it is.  
Nick: Got it.  
Ryan: Office building less than a mile away. Should be empty on a Saturday. Let's go!  
Nick: We've got to get there first.  
Stephen closes his laptop. He, Hilarie, Claudia and Nick get in their truck, Ryan and the soldiers get in jeeps and set off.

Woods. Abby and Connor are wandering the woods looking for Rex.  
Abby: Rex!  
Connor: Rexy! Come on mate. Come to Daddy!  
Abby: You don't leave here until you find him.  
Connor: Sorry. I can't think how he got out. Abby, look. I am sorry.  
Abby: If anything happens to him, I'll… uh! Just find him!  
Connor: I'm finding him, I'm finding him.

Office Building. Nick, Claudia, Hilarie and Stephen pull up outside the office building. They appear to have got there first.  
Claudia: We should wait for Ryan.  
Stephen pulls out a rather large gun, Hilarie a hand held gun. They head inside the building.  
Claudia: What's are those?  
Stephen: Tranquilliser guns.  
Claudia: No way.  
Nick: Take out about 5 of those things up there.  
Claudia: I'm not taking any more chances. I want it dead.  
Nick: Oh, just humour me.  
Claudia: What?  
Nick: Have I ever let you down before? Don't answer that. Just trust me, please.  
Claudia: Why do you keep doing this to me?  
Nick: Look, we're in unknown territory here. I don't know. The only thing that I know is killing these creatures without good reason is not the answer.  
Claudia: You've got until Ryan gets here. One chance, one shot.  
Nick, Hilarie and Stephen head off down the corridor ahead of Claudia.  
Stephen: Never thought she'd buy that.  
Nick: No. Neither did I. Hilarie: Yeah well...your pretty good at lying  
The pteranodon is perched on the edge of the roof. The four of them climb up a ladder onto the highest part of the roof. Stephen aims his gun, but the pteranodon takes off before he can shoot.  
Nick: Damn it!  
The pteranodon circles the building.  
Nick: Look. We're going to have to find a way to bring here back into range. You see the red crest on the top of her head? Red. That's it. [To Claudia] I need your shirt.  
Claudia: What?  
Nick: Your shirt.  
Claudia: Come on. It's magenta.  
Nick: It's close enough.  
Claudia: It's nothing like red.  
Nick runs across the roof. Hilarie looks at her and sighed, Claudia really didn't want to do it. Hilarie handed her gun to Stephen. Hilarie: Wait...You forgot about this. You so owe me one.  
Hilarie is wearing a red vest top underneath her jacket. Nick grabs a metal pole, as Ryan's men start pouring in the building at the bottom.  
Back on the roof, Nick has tied Hilarie's red vest top to the end of the pole. Hilarie put on her jacket over her bra, (she only had a slight bump despite being five months pregnant) and Claudia passes the gun back.  
Nick: You good?  
Hilarie: I'm good. Stephen: Yep, you are  
Nick whistles to get the pteranodon's attention, and starts to wave the pole, as Stephen takes aim. Hilarie has her gun at the ready. Claudia backs away.  
Nick: Right. In your own time.  
Stephen's first shot misses, despite the pteranodon being in his gun sights.  
Stephen: The wind took it.  
Nick: Yup. Try again. Quick as you like there, Stephen.  
Stephen's second shot also misses. The soldiers are still making their way through the building.  
Stephen: Damn thing keeps moving.  
Nick: Yep. That's what they do.  
Stephen: This time. Come on, fellow.  
Nick: Stephen, shoot it. Stephen, for God's sake, will you shoot it?  
Claudia has started to move back in panic. Stephen waits until the pteranodon is right on top of them before he shoots, finally hitting it. The dinosaur rolls across the rooftop, backing Claudia further against the wall. Where it lies, unconscious.  
Nick: You see that?  
Stephen: No need to shout. What are we going to do with it?  
Nick: Take it back to the anomaly site. Send it back.  
Claudia: That's it Cutter. No more favours. From now on we do this my way. I take the decisions.  
The pteranodon, not quite as unconscious as first appeared, screeches and flails, hitting Claudia over the head with its beak, knocking her out.  
Nick: Whoops. Hilarie goes over and checks Claudia. Hilarie sees that Claudia is knocked out. Hilarie: I prefer her like this, a lot less moaning.

Woods. Connor and Abby are still searching.  
Connor: Rex! Where are you, dude?  
Abby: Did you think he was going to send up a distress flare or something?  
Connor: He knows the sound of my voice. I'm thinking he might come running.  
Abby: He's a lizard. Not a Golden Retriever! This is ridiculous. He could be anywhere.  
Rex runs across the path in front of them.  
Connor: Rex? Rex! Abby!  
Connor and Abby run after Rex.

Manor House. Claudia is lying unconscious on a bed in a room in the house. She is wearing an oxygen mask. As she starts to come to, she has flash backs to the pteranodon flying towards the roof of the office building. She sits up suddenly and jumps of the bed, knocking a pouch of blood off a trolley and bursting it all over her shoes. Nick is standing by the window, he moves towards Claudia as she gets up.  
Nick: It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Nothing's wrong.  
Claudia: What happened.  
Nick: You took a knock.  
Claudia: Where am I?  
Nick: In a hotel.  
The medic from earlier enters. He walks over and picks up the burst bag of blood. It leaves a pool on the floor.  
Medic: Easy. Let's see how you're doing first. What's your name and how old are you?  
Nick has picked up something from the medic's kit.  
Claudia: Claudia Brown and I have no intention of telling you.  
Medic: I'll do some tests at the hospital, but I think it's nothing worse than a mild concussion. Getting low on oxygen. I've got another bottle in the ambulance. I'd better get it just in case.  
The medic leaves the room, still carrying the burst bag of blood.  
Nick: Sit up.  
Claudia gets back on the bed, and Nick shines a light in her eyes.  
Claudia: What are you doing?  
Nick: I have absolutely no idea, but I've seen them do it on ER, so there must be something in it. How are you feeling.  
Claudia: Okay.  
Nick: Any nausea?  
Claudia: No.  
Nick: Any headache?  
Claudia: No.  
Nick: Does anything feel odd at all?  
Claudia: Just the one thing.  
Nick: What?  
Claudia: I can't see anything.  
The shot pans from the pool of blood, across the floor, and out the window.

Woods. Connor and Abby have finally caught up to Rex, who is perched on a log.  
Connor: Rex!  
Abby: Rex!  
Connor: What's he looking at?  
Rex jumps off the log and gets behind it, like he's trying to hide. Behind Abby and Connor is a tree full of dark shapes. Dark, flapping, squawking shapes. Abby and Connor slowly turn around. The tree is full of small pterosaurs, one sniffs something, and then all of them fly out of the tree.  
Connor: Get down!  
Connor and Abby crouch as the pterosaurs fly past them, one stealing Connor's hat on the way.

Golf Club. Hilarie, Stephen, Ryan and some soldier are with the pteranodon, which is wrapped in sheets and strapped to the back of a trailer.  
Ryan: I wouldn't get too close if I were you. That thing could come around at any time.  
Stephen: She's going to be out for hours yet.  
There's a rumbling noise as the pteranodon ... gets rid of some waste. The soldiers wrinkle their noses.  
Ryan: Oh, nice.  
Stephen: You have no idea how revealing dung can be. You can learn a lot from it. It's exciting stuff. Hilarie: You really need to get a life.  
The soldiers make their disgust known as Stephen tastes the dung. Hilarie also grimaces.  
Ryan: That's just not right. Hilarie: You are so not kissing me now.

Woods. Abby and Connor haven't moved from their crouched positions.  
Connor: Abby, are we alive?  
Abby: We're alive.  
Connor: That's a good thing.

Manor House. Nick: Temporary blindness is a symptom of mild concussion. You're going to be fine.  
Claudia: Right.  
Nick: Trust me. I'm a doctor. Well, I'm a professor, but it's nearly the same thing. Do you see anything at all.  
Claudia: Um … A little. It's getting better.  
Nick: See? It'll be back in no time.  
Nick's mobile rings and he answers it. It's Stephen, who is still with the pteranodon.  
Nick: Stephen?  
Stephen: Listen, you know that hunch of yours? You were right. Old leather face didn't kill the golfer. The beak, it's all wrong. The dung is the clincher.  
Nick: Yeah, let me guess, no human remains.  
Stephen: No, just a few small reptiles and some fish bones. That's it.  
Nick: Exactly what I though. It wasn't Connor it was after, it was Rex.  
Stephen: Yeah.  
Nick's phone beeps.  
Nick: Stephen, listen, I'm going to have to call you back. My phone's out of juice.  
Stephen: Okay.  
Nick: Did you catch any of that.  
Claudia: The pteranodon is innocent. What do you want me to do? Pay compensation? You have to admit it, you made a lucky guess.  
Nick: No you're missing my point. If the pteranodon didn't kill the golfer, then what did?

The medic is leaving the ambulance carrying a med-bag. He hears squawking. He walks around the side of the ambulance, and is attacked by pterosaurs. He screams.

Nick and Claudia hear the screams inside.  
Claudia: What was that.  
Nick: I don't know. Look, give me your phone.  
Claudia: It's in my bag. In the car.  
Nick closes the patio doors and the doors leading to the other rooms.  
Nick: All right. I have to get to a phone.  
Claudia: Nick, don't leave me!  
Nick: It's okay. I'm still here. Just keep calm. All we have to do is keep all the windows and all the doors shut. And we'll be fine. There'll be nothing to worry about. And we'll be just fine.  
Nick runs out of the room to the main doors of the house, which are still open. He closes them, as the flock of pterosaurs circle above the house.  
Nick: Okay. Listen, there has to be a phone around here somewhere. Now, you're going to be okay, because nothing can get in here. It's going to be okay.  
Nick goes upstairs and tries the phone on the landing, but coincidentally, one of the pterosaurs has just cut through the telephone wires on the outside of the house.  
Downstairs, the pterosaurs make shadows across the room as they pass in front of the window.  
Claudia: It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. No, it's not. No, it's not.  
Claudia moves across the room and checks that the patio door is closed tightly, reassuring herself somewhat. At that point one of the pterosaurs hits the window, spooking Claudia and sending her racing back across the room, where she slips in the spilt blood from earlier. Another hit and the window breaks. Nick hears the noise and goes back downstairs, where Claudia has managed to cover herself in blood in her struggles to get up. More windows are being broken, and the first pterosaur gets in, just as Nick arrives and pulls Claudia to her feet. She is covered in blood at this point.  
Nick: It's okay. It's okay, it's okay. All right. Go, go, go.  
Nick takes Claudia out of the room, and closes the door just in time.  
Nick: Go! Keep going! Keep going!  
Claudia: They just went crazy. I slipped in the blood and then …  
Nick: It's the blood, the can smell the blood.  
Claudia: Like piranhas. Oh, God. Have I got much on me?  
Nick: Um, a little bit, yeah. About the same as me. Give me your top.  
Claudia: It's getting to be a little bit of a habit.  
Nick: What? Asking for your clothes, or getting us attacked?  
Claudia: Both.  
They have both taken off their first top layer. The pterosaur flock are tapping on the skylight.  
Nick: Oh, God.  
The pterosaurs get through, and glass rains down on Nick and Claudia. Closely followed by the flock. Nick pushes Claudia out of the room and closes the door behind them. He guides her to a chair, then checks the windows.  
Nick: There's got to be a phone around here somewhere. Okay, I think that there's one in the ambulance.  
Claudia: You're going to go and get it?  
Nick: Yeah. You're going to be safe here.  
Claudia: What about you?  
Nick: You know, I think I can make it.  
Nick kisses Claudia.  
Nick: I'll be back in a minute.  
Nick leaves the room, and heads through the gardens. He hears squawking, and turns to see the flock of pterosaurs come over the house towards him. He races to the ambulance and closes the doors behind him. The medic from earlier is lying on the ground beside the ambulance, and the pterosaurs swarm around.

Woods. Connor and Abby emerge from the trees. Abby is carrying Rex, wrapped in her jacket. They see the house in the distance, and the pterosaur flock circling it.  
Connor: Oh, man.

Manor House. Nick is sitting in the front of the ambulance and has found a phone.  
Nick: Ryan! Ryan, it's Nick Cutter! We're being attacked by a swarm of pterosaurs. Claudia's trapped in the hotel.  
Ryan: Just sit tight.  
Nick: Yeah, I'll sit tight. Yeah. Hurry up!  
Nick plunders the ambulance. He finds a lighter on the dashboard, and pulls a burns kit out of a cupboard.  
Nick: Yes, very funny, very funny.  
Nick finds a full canister of flammable gas. Some of the pterosaurs fly back to the house.

Claudia is sitting on the sofa where Nick left her. Squawking and banging noises can be heard. A stream of coal dust and ash falls into the fireplace. The squawking gets louder as Claudia gets up and backs away.

Nick slowly opens the back door of the ambulance. The pterosaurs seem to have gone. One of the doors makes a noise as it falls back, and Nick looks around, startled.

Claudia has moved to the back of the room, and manages to locate a rack of golf clubs. She grabs one as a pterosaur flies down the chimney.  
Claudia: Three iron.  
The pterosaur flaps around the room, and, as her eyesight is getting better, manages to hit the pterosaur with the golf club as it flies towards her.  
Claudia: Hole in one.  
A lot more pterosaurs fly down the chimney.

Nick uses the lighter to turn the gas canister into a flamethrower, managing to light it just as a pterosaur comes towards him. He fries it.  
Nick: You little sh…  
He advances towards the house.

Claudia is batting the pterosaurs away with the golf club. She gets knocked to the floor.

Nick is still moving toward the house, flaming pterosaurs as he goes.

Claudia is on her feet again, swiping away. The door opens, and Helen Cutter comes in and grabs Claudia from behind.  
Claudia: Who's that?  
Helen: Helen Cutter.  
Claudia: Helen, what the hell are you doing here?  
Helen: You really want to discuss that right now?  
Claudia: Maybe later.  
As more pterosaurs come down the chimney, the two women exit the room and close the door behind them. Helen guides Claudia down a corridor.  
Helen: Can you see anything at all?  
Claudia: I can manage.  
Helen: Right, I'll leave you on your own, then.  
Claudia: Helen!  
As Helen moves away, the door of the room they were in starts to fall open, the pterosaurs go through it.  
Helen: Only kidding. Here. Get in there.  
Helen goes back and grabs Claudia's hand. She pulls her down the corridor and into a kitchen, closing the door just before the pterosaurs arrive.  
Helen: You're going to have to trust me. It's either that or a radical makeover from our friends back there.  
Claudia: Tough call. Maybe just this once.  
Helen: Right. See this door. Go and stand by it. When I say so, go out and close it behind you.  
Claudia: What are you going to be doing?  
Helen: Cooking.  
There is a hissing noise as Helen turns on the gas ovens. Claudia goes to the door and finds the handle, as Helen puts a metal jug in a microwave.  
Claudia: Helen!  
Helen: Just keep calm, Claudia.  
Claudia: Easy for you to say.  
Helen opens the door and lets the pterosaurs in.

Nick is still attacking pterosaurs outside. His gas canister runs out.  
Nick: Whoops. Light.

Helen: Now!  
Claudia opens the door, and closes it behind her. Helen starts the microwave then leaves the room.  
Helen: Okay.  
The spark caused by putting the metal jug in the microwave ignites the gas in the room, causing a huge explosion, and killing all the pterosaurs in the room. Helen runs down the corridor, keeping out of the fireball's way.

Outside, Nick ducks as the fireball is followed by bits of debris.  
Nick: Claudia Brown.  
Claudia walks up behind him. She is covered in soot, and has a small cut near her right temple.  
Nick: You scared the life out of me. You all right?  
Claudia: I'm fine. Helen saved me.  
Nick looks back towards the remains of the kitchen.  
Nick: Where is she?  
Claudia: I don't know.  
Nick: Is she still in there?  
Claudia: She's gone. Like a ghost.  
Nick: Yeah, no surprises there.  
Ryan and his men arrive, running up behind them. Ryan has a double take at the still burning building and the state Nick and Claudia are in, and Nick's gas canister.  
Nick: What? Yeah, it was me. It was me with a Zippo and a bottle of flammable gas.

Woods. Connor is standing, staring at a pond. He turns as Abby walks past him.  
Connor: All turned put pretty well in the end.  
Abby: No thanks to you.  
Connor: Abby, I'm really sorry. I know I should have been more careful with Rex. I'll move out of the flat tomorrow.  
Abby: Where are you going to go?  
Connor: I'll be fine. You know me. Always plenty of irons in the fire. Whatever that actually means.  
Abby: Okay, here's the deal. You do all the washing up for a month, and make me breakfast every weekend. And if you leave your dirty boxer shorts on the bathroom floor one more time, I shall kill you.  
Connor: Does that mean I can … Does that mean I can stay?  
Abby: For now, yes.  
Connor: Oh, thank you. Thank you.  
Abby: Yeah.  
Connor hugs Abby and picks her up.  
Abby: God, I must be going insane. I quite like having you around.  
Connor: Really?  
Abby: As a friend.  
Connor: As a friend, I know. Buddies. What else?  
Connor punches Abby lightly in the shoulder. Abby punches back a bit harder.  
Connor: Ow.  
Abby starts to walk away, but turns back when Connor starts to speak again.  
Connor: Oh. Abby? The washing up thing. You weren't serious about that, were you? It's a bit harsh.  
Abby: Yes.  
Connor: Harsh, but more than reasonable.  
Abby: I know.

Golf Club. Stephen and Hilarie are waiting by the pteranodon. Hilarie: So you tasting dung is a usual thing? Stephen looks at Hilarie a slight smile playing at his lips. Hilarie: What? I want to know. Stephen: Not usual but does happen. Hilarie: You do wash your mouth, don't you? Because if this baby is contaminated with whatever dung you have tasted than you'll never hear the end of it. Stephen chuckled at her, catching her off guard he kisses her. Hilarie: Ay. My poi.... Hilarie stops and puts a hand on her bump. Stephen looks at her worried. Stephen: Hil? What is it? Its the baby. I knew and told you that you should be keeping away from all of this. Hilarie laughs taking Stephens hand and putting it on her bump. Hilarie holds his hand there by hers. Stephen smiles as he feels the baby kick.

Golf Club. Everyone has gathered at the anomaly site, with the pteranodon.  
Connor: Guys, you'd better be quick. I don't think the anomaly's going to hold much longer.  
Claudia's phone rings. She checks who it is, but doesn't answer.  
Claudia: Lester. What can I say? The battery was down and I just didn't get to the call in time.  
Nick: You saying Lester doesn't know about this?  
Claudia: Wouldn't be happy if he did.  
Nick: I thought you weren't going to take sides.  
Claudia: It's a one-off. Against my better judgement.  
Stephen comes up to Nick and Claudia, carrying a big, red flag. He hands it to Nick, and he and Connor go back to where Hilarie and Abby are looking after the pteranodon lying on the trailer.  
Claudia: And it better work.  
Nick: Yep.  
Abby: It's okay, baby. You'll be home soon. Hilarie: It's waking up!  
The pteranodon starts to wake up, as Nick gets into a cherry picker.  
Nick: So, you're absolutely confidant that this creature doesn't eat mammals?  
Stephen: Dung never lies. And if I'm wrong about that, at least you'll always have a special place in the history books.  
Nick: I always wanted to be famous. Let's do it.  
Connor, Stephen and Ryan release the ropes holding the pteranodon down. Connor and Stephen start to lift the sheet over it.  
Stephen: Okay, soldier boy.  
Nick: All right, we're ready. Let her go!  
The sheet is lifted, and after a few moments, the pteranodon starts to get up. It flaps its wings a couple of times, and then flies off in the opposite direction to where Nick is waving his flag in front of the anomaly.  
Nick: Turn!  
Stephen: Turn around!  
Abby: Over here!  
Connor: Over here! Hilarie: Over here! Come on, back you come!  
Abby: Come back!  
Nick: Come back!  
Abby: Hey! Come on! Over here!  
Connor: This way! Over here!  
Abby: Hey! Yeah! This way!  
The pteranodon turns and flies towards Nick.  
Nick: Okay, come on. Come on.  
Abby: Come here!  
Claudia: It's beautiful. Hilarie: You've changed your mind.  
Everyone on the ground ducks as the pteranodon swoops overhead. It flies past Nick, into the anomaly, just before it closes. Everyone cheers, Stephen throws Connor's hat in victory before picking Hilarie up. Abby jumps on Connor.  
Nick: Safe journey.  
Connor: [To Ryan] High five. Woo!


	6. Chapter 6

Central Metropolitan University. In Nick Cutter's office, Nick Cutter is playing golf, using a mug as the hole, and a leg bone as the club. Claudia Brown arrives.  
Claudia: Shot.  
Nick: Claudia Brown.  
Claudia: Having fun?  
Nick: Yes. Would you like to sit down.  
Claudia comes down the steps, and sits.  
Claudia: I've been thinking about Helen.  
Nick: Ah. Okay.  
Claudia: She saved my life. It was much less complicated when she was just the enemy.  
Nick: Yeah. I gave up trying to predict Helen's behaviour when she swapped our marriage for a package your in the Permian era.  
Claudia: Maybe it was just a cry for help.  
Nick: Counselling would have been simpler.  
Claudia: Nick Cutter talking about his feelings? I don't think so.  
Nick: What? Try me. Ask me anything, anything you like.  
Claudia: Do you still love her?  
Nick: Ask me another one.  
Claudia: Ooh, Coward.  
Nick: Was there any … I mean, was there any purpose to your visit? Or is my love life the only item on the agenda?  
Claudia: If we're going to defend ourselves more effectively, then we've got to do something more than just react. We've got to discover why these anomalies are opening, and then predict when the next one will appear.  
Nick: Well, you know, it may be possible to do that.  
Claudia: Are you going to tell me how?  
Nick: I've got ideas, but I don't have any proof. I need more time.  
Claudia: Fine. How does Monday morning sound?  
Nick has gone back to playing golf, he shoots and misses. Claudia turns away, pinching the bridge of her nose.  
Nick: You're spoiling me now. Are you okay?  
Claudia: Um, I haven't been sleeping well. Bad dreams.  
Claudia starts up the stairs.  
Claudia: By the way, when those things were attacking us, you kissed me. On the lips.  
Nick: I know.  
Claudia: You do know sexual harassment is a serious disciplinary offence in the civil service?  
Claudia leaves. Smiling.

Forest of Dean. At the anomaly site from the first episode, an anomaly is hanging in the same place as the first anomaly. Lights, tables and chairs are set up, like the area was being studied. A soldier runs towards the site. There is a sound off screen, and he takes off in that direction. There is a huge hole in the security fence.  
Soldier: This is Charlie 1, security breach at section 15.  
Whilst we hear radio chatter, we see the soldier in a distorted manner.

Outside Doctors. Hilarie Eliot and Stephen Hart are coming out. Hilarie is seven months pregnant but only looks four months pregnant. Stephen: You heard what the doctor said. You need to rest these last few months. Hilarie: Yes, but also i can't sit on my arse all day doing nothing. That is not me, and you know that. Stephen: It won't be long, and it will be better if your not involved in all this anomaly crap. Hilarie: Well if Lester says its my choice, it's my choice in staying on the job. They were both cut off by the sound of both of their cells ringing. They got them out and heard something has happened.

Forest of Dean. Stephen, Hilarie and Nick are at the hole in the fence with Captain Ryan and his men.  
Stephen: No trail, no footprints, nothing.  
Nick: Are you sure you didn't miss anything?  
Stephen: If there's anything out there, we'd have found it by now.  
Ryan: Must have gone back.

Wellington Zoo. The lion enclosure. The lions are undertaking normal lion behaviour. The creature jumps onto the roof of their enclosure, agitating the male lion. The creature breaks through, and jumps into the enclosure.

Abby's Flat. Abby Maitland and Connor Temple are sitting at the table. Connor is wearing a shirt and tie.  
Abby: Okay. I'm a girl in a bar. Tell me I look nice.  
Connor: You look nice.  
Abby: Make it more personal.  
Connor: I personally feel you look nice.  
Abby: The complement, be more specific.  
Connor: Well, you've got lovely legs, and fantastic…  
Abby: Yeah, not that specific. Um, small talk. Flirty. Just not too flirty. Yeah?  
Connor: I've seen you here before, haven't I?  
Abby: Oh, that's good.  
Connor: Oh, look, your glass is empty. Let me get you another one.  
Abby: I'll have a mojito, please.  
Connor: Two mojitos coming up. Barman.  
Connor clicks at REX who is sitting on the sofa.  
Connor: Who do you think would win in a fight between Wolverine and Spider-man?  
Abby: I said flirty, not nerdy.  
Connor: That's entry level comic book, Abby. It's light, it's fun.  
Abby: But girls don't talk comic books! If you want to be more successful with women, you've got to learn to compromise a bit. Find out what they like.  
Connor: And pretend I'm interested. Until they want to snog me. No, I get it. But Abby, you know, to be honest, I think I can talk to women. I talk to you, don't I?  
Abby: We're pals.  
Connor: Yeah, I know. You can…  
Abby: Come here.  
Abby fixes Connor's tie for him.  
Connor: You can fancy somebody who's a pal, can't you? The two conditions are not mutually exclusive.  
Abby's gets a text as Connor leans in to kiss her. She picks her phone up and sighs.  
Abby: It's the zoo, something's up. I've got to go.

Home Office. Claudia is walking down a corridor with James Lester.  
Claudia: He made a mistake about Helen. He should have told us about her. He was under enormous pressure. He predicted the temporal fault lines, and he's been correct about the anomalies reoccurring, that's not just luck. If there's anyone who can help us predict and contain these things, it's him.  
Lester: How close is he to an answer?  
Claudia: I don't know. He couldn't say yet.  
Lester: Look, one day soon, an anomaly's going to open up and thousands of these creatures, maybe millions are going to come pouring through. Lets hope he's made his mind up by then.

Central Metropolitan University. Stephen exits the university. He is being followed by Helen Cutter. Stephen slows and turns, but Helen hides. He turns back around, and comes face to face with her.  
Helen: In most eras of the world's history, you'd be dead by now.  
Stephen: Helen. What the hell are you doing here?  
Helen: All this urban living's mad human beings such lazy animals. Second-rate hearing, no sense of smell, no worthwhile instincts.  
Stephen: Well, man has no predators, we have nothing to be afraid of except each other.  
Helen: Well, that used to be the case, but times are changing, aren't they, Stephen?  
Stephen: What do you want?  
Helen: A cold beer would be nice.

Wellington Zoo. Abby is showing Connor into the lion enclosure. Other zookeepers are gathered around the hole in the roof.  
Abby: See, at first we thought the lions had been fighting, but none of them are wounded. Then we realised we'd lost one.  
Connor: You put it down somewhere, forgot where you left it. Happens all the time.  
Connor taps Abby on the arm and points down, at a leaf covered in blood.  
Connor: Looks like something got wounded.  
Connor crouches down and takes a swab of the blood, whilst the other zookeepers are arguing about the hole.  
Abby: Could it be a creature attack?  
Connor: I don't know. You need …  
They both pause as a zookeeper walks past.  
Connor: There's no other proof, is there? All you've got is a missing lion. Maybe he just ran away to join the circus.  
Abby: Oh, whatever.

Central Metropolitan University. Helen and Stephen are in the university café.  
Stephen: Why don't you just tell me what you want?  
Helen: A meeting. With Nick and Lester. Tomorrow morning at 11. Here.  
Helen hands Stephen a piece of paper.  
Helen: No armed thugs, no ambushes. They'll want to hear what I've got to say.  
Stephen: They don't trust you.  
Helen: I don't trust them, either. But this is serious.  
Helen gets out a newspaper and gives it to Stephen.  
Helen: Three people have disappeared in the last 48 hours. I know what happened to them.  
Stephen: Creature. What kind?  
Helen: It's good to see you again, Stephen. You know, you were always one of my better students. Not the very brightest maybe, but always full of idealism and integrity.  
Helen gets up and puts her backpack on, before kissing Stephen on the lips.  
Helen: I miss that.  
Stephen: Thank you. I'm touched, but i'm also dating your niece. Helen: I heard about that. Shame. ----------------------------------------------------------  
Home Office. Claudia walks in and puts her bag down.  
Claudia: Hello?  
There is a thumping and growling noise. She turns around to see a Gorgonopsid behind her. She backs away, and closes the glass door behind her. The gorgonopsid roars and charges through the glass. Claudia wakes up in a chair in an office. She was having a nightmare. She spins around in her chair to see if anyone noticed the nightmare. She spins the chair back and comes face to face with the gorgonopsid again. It roars, and she wakes up for real this time, still in the office.

Wellington Zoo. Abby is feeding the elephants in the rain. She is being watched by the creature, with the same distortion as the soldier was viewed with earlier. The view is blocked as the elephants rush in to feed. Abby glances up, but doesn't see anything.  
Tim Parker, Abby's boss, is walking through the elephant house, talking on his mobile. The creature is watching him.  
Tim: Thanks for calling. No, no sign of the lion as yet. We're still hopeful, obviously. Yes, yes.  
As Tim goes through a gate, the creature jumps to the floor behind him, and follows him out the door.

Home Office. Lester walks into the office, followed by Claudia, Nick, Hilarie and Stephen. Abby and Connor are in another room.  
Abby: Stephen was acting really strange this morning. Something weird is going on.  
Connor: What's new? Oh, I never said. The blood analysis came back from the lab. Most of it was from a lion, but some of it was from a bat.  
Abby: Bats get everywhere.  
Connor: Yeah, but it was some really weird DNA. They said they'd never seen anything like it before.  
Abby: What does that mean then?  
Connor: I don't know. Yet. You expecting a call?  
Abby: My boss. No ones seen him since yesterday. They found his stuff, but there's no sign of him. He just vanished.  
Abby and Connor look at the newspaper that Connor is holding. The headline is 'Police baffled as third person goes missing'.  
Abby: Better get back to the zoo.  
Lester: Are you sure you don't already know what this is about?  
Nick: Sorry, what does that mean?  
Lester: She's your wife, you join the dots.  
Claudia: Helen did save my life, so we should give her some credit for that. And if she does know something about the disappearances…  
Lester: That's a police matter. There's no evidence of creature involvement.  
Stephen: Yet.  
Lester: Okay, fine. We'll do it her way. But if this turns out to be another of her manipulative schemes, the deal's off and she goes straight back on the wanted list.

Park. Helen approaches Lester, Claudia, Nick, Hilarie and Stephen, who are standing on a bridge over a large pond.  
Helen: You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator. Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless.  
Claudia: If there was a creature on the loose, we'd know about it.  
Helen: At least 3 people have disappeared in the last few days.  
Lester: Missing.  
Helen: Killed. The creature has a lair somewhere nearby. It's taken them for food.  
Nick: Now how do you know that?  
Helen: Because it nearly got me, too.  
Stephen: What is it?  
Helen: It has no name.  
Hilarie: Then which era is it from?  
Helen: It doesn't come from any era. At least, not one that can be identified yet.  
Nick: I'm sorry, I don't understand.  
Helen: Yes you do, Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You've known it ever since you first stepped into the past.  
Nick: The future? Are you saying we're being attacked by a creature from the future?

Wellington Zoo. Abby walks down a hill, past the sea lion enclosure. The creature is nearby.

Park. Helen: I've seen a lot of amazing creatures, but nothing like this one. It has human levels of intelligence, and an almost supernatural ability to stalk it's prey. It could be right here now watching us and we'd never know.  
Claudia: If it's so clever, how did you see it?  
Helen: I discovered it in the Permian, just after a kill. It was feeding and its defences were down.  
Nick: What does it look like?  
Helen: Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. And a lot more agile.  
Nick: Hold on. What makes you so certain that it's not some lost species that's just disappeared from the evolutionary record?  
Helen: No Nick. It's not like any creature from the Permian, or any other prehistoric era. The only possible explanation is that it strayed through a future anomaly into the Permian era, and then on into ours.  
Lester: You know, I'm really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy. So now it's the future as well. And apparently we can't do a damn thing about it.  
Claudia: How did it get here?  
Helen: I have no idea. It was only when I got back I found out it was on the loose. Obviously my first thought was to do as much as I could to help.  
Lester: How public spirited of you. Where can we contact you?  
Helen: At my house. Of course.

THE CUTTER HOUSE TAKE 1:  
Helen is in the living room, taking her boots off. Nick is sitting at the piano.  
Helen: You could have redecorated.  
Nick: I like it. Anyway, are you going to tell me why you were lying?  
Helen: No idea what you're talking about.  
Nick: Well, you know, the others buy that line about you just wanting to help, but I've known you for longer than they have.  
Helen: Look, everything I said about the Permian was true. I discovered the creature and made my observations. But I got too fascinated, got too close. It sensed I was watching.  
Nick: So you became the prey.  
Helen: Yeah, I only just got away. Problem was, my escape route led me back here.  
Nick: And it followed you. So this is your fault.  
Helen: I could have walked away. But I didn't. I stayed to help. I'm still human, Nick, I … I do care what happens. Believe it or not I do care about you.

Central Metropolitan University. Stephen and Connor are in Nick's office. Stephen is tidying, Connor is spinning around on Nick's chair and playing with the things on his desk.  
Connor: What, and that's all she said?  
Stephen: That's it.  
Connor: What, nothing else? No details at all?  
Stephen: Why? Put it down.  
Connor: It's just, I found some bat blood at the zoo yesterday.  
Stephen: So?  
Connor: Well, this bat blood had really, really screwed up DNA. I mean, you know, it's probably nothing, but one of the lions went missing yesterday, and now Abby's boss, he's just disappeared as well.  
Stephen: Where's Abby?  
Connor: She said she was working late.  
Stephen: Meet me at the zoo, with as much back up as possible.

Wellington Zoo. Abby is in the underground walkway, watching the sea lions. She steps backwards and bumps into Stephen.  
Abby: Don't creep up on me like that!  
Stephen: I wasn't creeping. I was walking, normally. You all right?  
Abby: Why shouldn't I be.  
Stephen: There might be a creature here. We think it killed the sea lions and maybe your boss. The others are on the way.  
Abby: You came on your own, just because you were worried about me?  
Stephen: Well, you and the, uh, sea lions. I'd hate it if anything happened to them.  
Stephen suddenly grabs Abby and pushes her against the wall.  
Abby: What're you doing?  
Stephen covers Abby's mouth and puts his finger to his lips.  
Stephen: There's something down here.  
The creature drops down in the entrance of the walkway. It starts to move towards Stephen and Abby, but is distracted by the sea lions behind the glass. It runs when a group of soldiers come down the walkway, led by Ryan.

In the camel enclosure, Helen is sitting on a bench. Claudia walks in, talking to a soldier.  
Claudia: We've really got to try and contain it. We can't afford to lose anybody …  
Helen: If you want to find its lair, you're going to need dogs.  
Claudia: Excuse me.  
The soldier leaves as Helen gets up and approaches Claudia.  
Claudia: You saved my life. Thank you. Although, now I come to think of it. You did leave it rather late.  
Helen: Well, you know. You were doing so well without me. It was only when Nick ran off I thought I should intervene.  
Claudia: He didn't run off. He went to get help. He did everything he could to protect me.  
Helen: He's attracted to you, isn't he?  
Claudia: I have no idea.  
Helen: It's obvious you like him.  
Claudia: It's really none of your business.  
Helen: He's my husband.  
Claudia: You left him. Remember?  
Helen: You know, I can see why he's interested. You're his type, Claudia. Strong, independent, reasonably intelligent.  
Claudia: Shall we stick to the point? So, what can you tell us about this creature?  
Helen: It's fast. Incredibly fast. And it can camouflage itself in almost any environment. To survive in the Permian it's had to be highly adaptable, which is bad for us. Who knows? Maybe that's how humanity meets it's end, by becoming a food source for a more successful species.

The Woods. Nick, Stephen, Hilarie, Connor and Ryan and his men are headed into the trees, with dogs, from the direction of the zoo.  
Nick: The creature's lair must be somewhere very close.  
Ryan: What happens when we find this thing?  
Nick: We kill it.  
Ryan: I thought we only killed these creature in self-defence.  
Nick: This one's too dangerous. And if we kill it, we can't affect the past or present.  
Ryan: Shoot to kill, that makes a refreshing change, I was beginning to feel like a social worker. Hilarie: And since when do social workers carry guns?  
They enter the trees, and go over a small rise, into an area strewn with fallen trees. The dogs start to bark. Stephen crouches down to look at a broken branch. One of the Special Forces guys gets grabbed from behind, and dragged behind a tree, everyone points a gun in that direction (Special Forces are armed with their usual arsenal, Nick, Hilarie and Stephen have hand guns, Connor is unarmed). Gunshots can be heard, as well as cracking branches.  
Ryan: There's nothing. Make sure you verify your target.  
Nick: Look up!  
The creature is jumping from branch to branch. It leaps at Nick, and misses when he ducks. It runs off as it is fired at.  
Stephen: What the hell was that?  
Hilarie: We need a bigger gun.

The Woods. Helen has joined the guys in the woods, and is eating an apple.  
Nick: It was one step ahead of us all the time. It knew what we were going to do before we even did it.  
Helen: I warned you it was smart.  
Nick: It would be more helpful if you could tell us how to catch it.  
Stephen: What we need is something that gives us an edge. Some weakness in its defences. Otherwise it's just going to pick us off, one by one.  
Connor: Dogs. The dogs went crazy before it attacked. What'd make them go off like that?  
Stephen: It can't be smell. If there were a scent trail, they'd have followed it.  
Nick: Hearing.  
Connor: Sound.  
Nick: They heard something.  
Connor: It's using sound.  
Hilarie: So that's why its manages to stay ahead of us. It can detect physical movement before it's in visual range.  
Connor: And the dogs, they detect a higher frequency, therefore they know when it's nearby.  
Ryan: Like echolocation.  
Nick: High frequency sound waves. It's like a sonar system. Some animals use it to detect prey.  
Stephen: Like a bat. You said there was bat blood at the lion enclosure.  
Connor: That's it. That's it. This thing must be some kind of… I don't know, super-bat.  
Helen: He's right. Three quarters of all mammal species are bats or rats. Maybe the future belongs to them.  
Nick: We can use it's own weapon against it.  
Connor: An oscilloscope.  
Nick: It's in the car. Go get it.  
Connor runs off.

The car. Connor opens the back door of the car, jumps in, and starts searching through stuff.  
Connor: Okay. I know it's in here somewhere. Okay.  
He finds the oscilloscope under the drivers seat. He switches it on. He starts to look worried when it starts to beep. The screen on the oscilloscope shows the frequency of the sound that it picks up, and this one is starting to go crazy. Connor looks around outside the car, but can't see anything. He closes the door, and uses the key fob to lock the doors. The beeping gets faster as something lands on the top of the car. The creature can be seen in the back window, getting off the car. The beeping of the oscilloscope slows down, and the camera pulls back to show us the creature is gone.  
Connor turns and looks out the back window, and at that moment, the creature smashes through the front windscreen. It can't get at Connor between the front seats, and Connor unlocks the back door and gets out, ending up sitting on the floor beside the car. He slams the door shut with his feet.

In the iguana pen, Abby hears a noise.

The creature gets out of the car, and advances towards Connor, who is still on the floor. Through it's eyes, we can see Connor's heart beating.  
Abby rounds the corner at a run, and sees Connor about to be eaten.  
Abby: Hey!  
Abby throws a rock at the creature, distracting the creature from Connor, but unfortunately drawing its attention to herself. We now see Abby's heart beating. Suddenly Hilarie appears and shoots at the creature, which runs off. Abby runs to Hilarie's side, whilst Connor lies on his side and gets his breath back.  
Hilarie: Moves fast.

The Car. Nick is talking to Connor, who is leaning against the car. Abby is also leaning against it.  
Connor: I thought I was going to die then.  
Nick: But you didn't.  
Connor: No. Quite chuffed about that.  
Nick: Maybe you should go home.  
Connor: No I'm going to stay. I mean, Han Solo, he wouldn't give up before the job's done would he?  
Nick: I always saw you more of an R2-D2 myself, but I take your point.  
Nick walks away, and Connor turns to Abby.  
Connor: Hi.  
Abby: Hi.  
Connor: Oh, um … You just saved my life.  
Abby: I had to. You haven't paid this months rent yet.  
Abby starts to walk away.  
Connor: Abby…  
Abby: Yeah?  
Connor: Thank you.

The Woods. Ryan and his men are using the dogs to search a number of sheds. Helen, Nick, Stephen and Connor arrive. Connor is carrying the oscilloscope.  
Nick: What do they keep in here?  
Stephen: It's animal crate storage.  
Helen: Great place for a lair.  
Nick, Stephen and Connor end up in the middle of the group of buildings. The oscilloscope is beeping.  
Nick: Whatever's making that noise is right on top of us.  
Stephen: Dog's should be going crazy.  
Nick: Come on.  
The three of them enter one of the buildings with Helen and the soldiers. Helen follows a squealing noise and finds a box full of baby creatures. Stephen is right behind her.  
Connor: It's in here somewhere.  
Stephen: Cutter! You need to see this.  
Nick: My god. It's given birth.  
There are 5 babies in a box.  
Connor: Oh, cute.  
Stephen: There are three bodies back here.  
Helen: She's storing them to feed her young.  
The beeping on the oscilloscope speeds up rapidly. A thudding sound is heard on the roof.  
Connor: We've got company!  
Ryan: Where the hell is it?  
A soldier gets jumped by the creature, which then disappears.  
Nick: Stephen!  
The creature comes into the room as Nick grabs one of the babies and runs. The creature follows its screaming baby as Nick enters a greenhouse. As the creature enters behind him, he stops and turns. He fires at the glass roof of the greenhouse, confusing the creatures sonar, and allowing Nick to get close enough to shoot the creature fatally in the head.

The Home Office. The baby creatures are locked in a box in the woods. Nick, Claudia, Helen and Lester are discussing what to do with them at the home office.  
Helen: If you kill them now, you'll be making a big mistake.  
Lester: What do you suggest? A sympathetic foster family?  
Helen: A dangerous anomaly to the future is open in the Permian. Predators could come pouring through.  
Claudia: But why do we keep these animals alive?  
Helen: To pinpoint the exact location of the anomaly. All bats have extraordinary homing instincts. They'll know their own environments. They can lead us to it.  
Lester: And what happens to them then?  
Nick: We kill them.  
Lester: We kill them.  
Nick: To let even one of them loose in the Permian era could be a potential catastrophe. They could wipe out whole species. They could change things in ways we can't even conceive.  
Lester: And afterwards, we keep a permanent guard at the future anomaly?  
Nick: The threat's too serious to be ignored.  
Claudia: Serious enough to warrant a permanent intrusion into the past?  
Nick: With the correct restrictions, yes.  
Lester: I suppose just bombing somewhere is out of the question? All right, we'll do it. I just hope you're right.  
Lester walks away. Helen smiles at Nick, and Claudia watches this before walking away herself.

Claudia is in the bathroom. She comes out of a toilet cubical. She looks in the mirror. Her reflection is fractured, like an anomaly. She turns away, and when she turns back, her reflection is normal.

The Cutter House. Helen comes out of the bathroom, dressed ready for bed, to find Nick outside her door.  
Helen: We never discussed sleeping arrangements.  
Nick: I'm going to take the spare room.  
Helen: You don't have to. We're still married.  
They lean in like they're about to kiss.  
Nick: Excuse me.  
Helen moves out of the way, and Nick enters the bathroom.

Forest Of Dean. Everyone is there, as Nick, Helen, Ryan and a couple of soldiers get ready to go through the anomaly. Two soldiers carry a box of gear through the anomaly. There is another box containing the baby creatures. Stephen is standing with Nick.  
Nick: Be careful with them. They're our only hope of finding the future anomaly. If I don't make it back, push Lester through the worst anomaly you can find. Oh, and take care of Hilarie.  
Stephen: It's a given.  
Nick and Stephen shake hands, and Stephen leaves as Claudia approaches.  
Claudia: What happens if it closes while you're on the other side?  
Nick: We wait until it re-opens.  
Helen sees Nick and Claudia talking and walks over to the anomaly.  
Helen: I think we should get going.  
Claudia: Don't go. Stay. I think this is a mistake. I've got a really bad feeling about this.  
Nick: It's going to be fine. I'll see you soon.  
Nick walks towards the anomaly. Ryan and two other soldiers take the creatures through the anomaly.  
Lester: Think I should make a speech? One small step for man, that sort of thing?  
Claudia: Maybe another time.  
Claudia runs forwards and kisses Nick, who kisses back. Everyone else either looks surprised or looks away. Claudia releases Nick and walks back to stand by Lester.  
Lester: Well that wasn't very professional.  
Claudia: Stuff professionalism.  
Stephen, Connor, Hilarie and Abby are smirking in the background. Helen turns to Nick and raises an eyebrow at him. He laughs and they both go through the anomaly. Claudia stares after them.

Through the anomaly. On the other side of the anomaly, Nick and Helen lead the way across the landscape leaving 3 Special Forces guys to carry the 2 large metal crates between them. Nick is still smiling.  
Helen: That was a very touching farewell.  
Nick: Hmm. Yep. Worked for me.  
Helen: I suppose the object of the exercise was to punish me in some way?  
Nick: Actually, it wasn't about you at all.

Forest of Dean. Abby, Hilarie and Stephen are standing around, soldiers are doing busy work, and Connor is on the phone.  
Connor: Uh-huh? Yeah. You're sure?  
Stephen: Connor?  
Stephen walks up to Connor, who waves him off.  
Connor: There's no chance you could have made a mistake?  
Stephen: Connor, give me the phone.  
Connor: Okay, I understand. Thanks.  
Connor hangs up and Stephen, Hilarie and Abby look at him expectantly.  
Stephen: The lab?  
Connor: Yeah. The creature's autopsy proves beyond any doubt that it was definitely a male.  
Stephen: It's got to be female, it was nurturing its young.  
Connor: Maybe in this species, that's a job for the boys.  
Stephen: It better be, because if not…it means the mother's still out there.  
The oscilloscope starts beeping more rapidly. No one notices. We see Stephen, Connor, Hilarie and Abby having a discussion through the creature's eyes. The creature goes through the anomaly, but the quad only see a flash. They turn towards the anomaly and they step closer to it as Claudia and a bunch of soldiers join them.  
Claudia: What happened?  
Connor: I'm not sure.  
Claudia: Did you see something?  
Stephen: Nothing.  
Connor gets out his compass and moves closer to the anomaly. Hilarie feels a slight tug in her stomach, she frowns as she puts her hand there.  
Claudia: Is the anomaly getting weaker?  
Connor: No. No change.

Through the anomaly. The creature is racing across the Permian landscape.  
Cut to Ryan, Nick, Helen and 2 soldiers setting up a camp. Actually, the soldiers are setting up camp and securing the area. Ryan is talking to Nick, and Helen is taking pictures.  
Helen: Hey Nick. Come here.  
Nick leaves Ryan and moves up a slope to where Helen is standing. She tosses her camera to him.  
Helen: Here. Might as well take a souvenir.  
Helen moves to sit on a rock whilst Nick admires the landscape.  
Nick: Stand up.  
Helen stands, and Nick takes a couple of snaps. Cue episode 1 flash back sequence. We see the pictures of Helen developed by Lester, and the ruined campsite and skeleton that Nick and Ryan found the first time they went back. Nick slowly realises that the ruined camp is the one being set up now, and that they are in danger.  
Helen: What.  
Nick: The camp. It's the camp we saw the first time. We made it.  
Helen looks confused as Nick runs back down the slope to warn Ryan.  
Nick: It's us, we're the intruders.  
Ryan: The camp we found was old. There was a dead body.  
The three of them (Nick, Ryan and Helen) have reached the bottom of the slope. Nick grabs one of the metal supply boxes and opens it.  
Nick: Don't you see, we've arrived back years before the first time we came here.  
Nick pulls out a Yorkie bar, before dropping it again and slamming the box shut. He turns to Ryan.  
Nick: We've created our own past.  
The baby creatures start squealing and jumping around. Ryan and his men bring their guns up.  
Helen: We must be near the anomaly. This is it Nick, we've found it. We've found the future!  
Nick: That's all you cared about. You just wanted to find the future for yourself.  
Helen tries to kiss Nick, but he pushes her away. She turns in the direction that Ryan and one of his men have gone, just as the adult creature attacks the soldier. Ryan is on a ridge above them.  
Ryan: Stay back!  
The baby creatures are still squealing and clawing at the bars of their cage. The other soldier is by the cage with his hands over his ears. The creature 'sees' him and kills him. Ryan sees and runs down the hill towards it as it opens the cage, setting the babies free. He fires at the creature, but only wounds it. The creature turns and lunges at him, fatally wounding him. The creature turns and appears to be looking at Nick, but then a gorgonopsid walks out of the trees. Nick dives out of the gorgonopsid's way, as it head butts the creature, knocking it out. The gorgonopsid turns to the baby creatures and kills the animals are distracted, Nick runs over to where Ryan is lying. Helen is on the ridge above them. Ryan is seriously wounded and covered with blood. Nick crouches next to him and tries to cover his injuries as the creature awakens and sees the gorgonopsid killing its young.  
A fight starts between the gorgonopsid and the creature. The creature is quick, and manages to hurt the gorgonopsid, however, the gorgonopsid manages to crush the creature. The gorgonopsid roars, and then limps off, dragging its kill with watches this from the ridge. Nick is still with a barely conscious Ryan, he has closed Ryan's jacket over his wound and is holding his hand.  
Ryan: The first time we came here, that body we found, that was me, wasn't it? I was looking at myself.  
Nick says nothing, just keeps hold of Ryan's hand as he dies.  
Helen has approached the box where the young were.  
Nick: Did any of the young survive?  
Helen: Looks like they're all dead.  
Nick: This is over. We're leaving. We should bury the men.  
Nick pulls Ryan up into a fireman's carry. He and Helen build a cairn over Ryan's grave.  
Helen: We don't have to go back, Nick. The future anomaly must be here somewhere, we can still find it.  
Nick: The future. Helen Cutter's last great frontier. No if you want to stay here and look for it, it's fine. It's fine. But you're going to have to do it on your own, because I'm leaving.  
Helen: What have you got to go back for? That girl? Please don't tell me you're in love with her.  
Nick: Maybe, you know. Maybe. You know, that's not really the point.  
Helen: Then what is the point, Professor?  
Nick: The point is, I know where I belong.  
Nick walks off, carrying Ryan's gun. Helen hesitates, and then follows him.  
As they walk back towards the anomaly, we see two of the baby creatures crawling over a rock.

Forest of Dean. Nick steps back through the anomaly, still carrying Ryan's gun.  
Lester: What happened? Did you find the anomaly?  
Helen steps through as well.  
Nick: Captain Ryan didn't make it, and all his men are dead. Whatever happens, nobody goes back through.  
Helen: Well, I'm sorry to break you're new rule so soon, Nick, but, um, I'm not staying.  
Helen moves away from Nick, so she is standing between him and the others. Nick stares at her.  
Nick: Well, what did you come back through for?  
Helen: Oh, just a little, um, unfinished business.  
Helen looks at Stephen. Nick looks at Stephen confused, Stephen looks back. Hilarie looks between Helen and Stephen.  
Helen: You see, Nick, it was just one of those things. I was lonely, and you didn't seem to care about me. And Stephen was so sweet and attentive.  
Both Nick and Hilarie are looking back and forth between Helen and Stephen. Stephen is shaking his head.  
Stephen: Shut up Helen.  
Helen: Oh, you mean you never told them? Oh dear. Hilarie: What?  
Helen puts her hand to her mouth. Nick and Stephen are staring at each other, and Abby is looking at Stephen quite pitifully. Hilarie is glaring at Helen.  
Lester: What an extremely awkward moment.  
Helen: You see, I don't want to be on my own anymore.  
Nick hangs his head. Stephen and Connor are looking at each other. Stephen looks briefly to Hilarie and sees the hurt he has inflicted on her in her eyes, he then turns to Helen as she starts to speak again.  
Helen: You once said you'd do anything for me if I gave you the chance. Well, here it is. Come with me.  
Helen approaches Stephen, who is shaking his head. Nick still has his head bowed, Hilarie looks heartbroken clutching het stomach as she feels the familiar tug again. Abby still looks upset, and Connor is looking at Stephen with confusion.  
Stephen: Don't do this.  
Helen: Falling for one of your students is never a good idea, but…  
Helen turns to Nick who has lifted his head.  
Helen: Sometimes these things just happen, you know.  
Nick: How could you keep that from me for so many years?  
Stephen approaches Nick.  
Stephen: There was no point in saying anything. It was a long time ago. In the past.  
Helen: The past has a habit of coming back these days, doesn't it.  
Nick walks away to stand by the edge of the trees, leaving Stephen in front of the anomaly. Helen is standing nearby.  
Helen: Well? Are you coming?  
Stephen walks over to Helen. Nick looks like he's about to cry, Hilarie is crying and the others are trying to be invisible in the background.  
Stephen: You know what I'd forgotten, Helen? Sometimes, you can be a real bitch.  
Stephen walks away towards Hilarie to apologise. Hilarie completely blanks him. Helen and Nick look at each other again, before Helen turns and walks through the anomaly. Stephen is now standing behind, and to the side of, Lester. Abby is staring at him.  
Nick: Where's Claudia?  
Everyone turns to look at him.  
Lester: Claudia?  
Nick: Where's Claudia Brown?  
Lester: I don't know anyone of that name.  
Nick: No, come on. Where is she?  
Stephen: We really, we … we don't know what you're talking about.  
Connor: Never heard of her.  
Nick: Look, you've been working with her everyday for months, so don't tell me you don't know who she is.  
Lester: No idea, sorry.  
Nick walks up to Lester and grabs him by the front of his jacket.  
Nick: Look. Look, where is she?  
Connor: Cutter, we don't know her. Hilarie: Nick...we don't know anyone by that name. Seriously.  
Abby: No one knows her!  
Nick lets go of Lester and moves back towards the anomaly. Everyone is looking at him like he's gone mad.  
Nick: Wait, something's wrong. This isn't right. Something's gone wrong. Something's happened. Something's changed. We've done something, we've… Something that we've done has changed the past and she's not here anymore.  
The anomaly flashes an few times and starts to expand, encompassing Nick.  
Nick: Oh God. Oh my God.  
Everyone watches as the anomaly disappears. Stephen turns to Hilarie. Stephen: Hilarie.... Hilarie: Stephen, save it. I don't want to here whatever you have to say. Because you know why? Because you've hurt me. You've hurt me bad.....with Helen? My aunt. You didn't even tell me! Hilarie hits him across the chest. Stephen just took it, feeling really guilty. Hilarie's struggling to breathe properly. Abby rushes forward. Abby: Hilarie, you need to calm down. You might go into premature labour. Hilarie looks blankly ahead. Hilarie: I think that's too late. If on cue, Hilarie starts feeling more contractions, more painful. Abby takes Hilarie to the onby ambulance, Hilarie refusing to let Stephen anywhere near her at the moment. Abby goes with Hilarie to the hospital. Stephen watches as the ambulance takes away his girlfriend whom is in labour. Connor offers to take him to the hospital. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hospital. Abby and Hilarie are in the delivery room, with nurses and a doctor. Abby is persuading Hilarie to let Stephen in. Abby: Hilarie. It was years ago, he loves you. He loves you and he's going to love this baby. Let him in here. Hilarie looks at Abby for a while as she gets ready to push. Hilarie shakes her head. Hilarie: No. Abby. I feel..betrayed. My aunt..and him? Before we got together. No, Abby. No Abby nodded her head, taking Hilarie hand in hers, as Hilarie was ordered to push. Hilarie pushed and pushed nearly giving in to the exhaustion, until they heard the familiar cry of a baby. Hilarie fell back onto the bed, her head touching the pillow as all of her energy had been used. Abby smiled as she saw the baby, it was passed to the nurse for a check up, getting wrapped in a white blanket. Nurse: Congratulations. You've got a healthy baby girl The nurse handed over the baby to Hilarie, who took her daughter with open arms. Hilarie: Hey baby. I am so pleased to see you...Whatever is going on between me and daddy at the moment. I just want you to know that we will both love you, forever! Nurse: Have you got a name for her? Hilarie looked up briefly at the nurse smiling. Hilarie: Ellie Alison Hart


End file.
